Also see Trelewis photographs section of the website for more and Parc Taf Bargoed photographs by Ray Locke.

The Taf Bargoed millennium park is built on the site of three former collieries, Taff Merthyr, Deep Navigation and the Trelewis drift mine. It is now a place of natural beauty, a far cry from the last century when the area was scarred by the mine workings.It is a place for everyone to enjoy.

Rod Barrar was the driving force behind the whole project setting up the Taff Bargoed Development trust (TBDT)  a registered charity,  established in 1995 following the demise of the coal industry. Three mines closed and rendered thousands of people jobless for years to come. Rod Barrar, 48, died suddenly from a heart attack at his home in Banc-Y-Felin, High Street, Trelewis. Many good people kept the work going and he would surely be very proud of the Park thesedays, a fitting legacy of what he started.

Glynys Kinnock visited the project in the early days here she is during the visit seen with Rod Barrar, Eleanor, D Massey and Jamie

http://www.tbdt.co.uk/

Early days and work starting on the climbing centre (thanks to Carol Smith for these photographs)

Leighton Smart to the right local councillor right behind the project

This set of photographs are credited to June Morgan and show the site at the commencement of the works and the first year of the development.

n126

Work about to start on the Park

10506922_701759179861273_5428430907

Work has began on the site

10549111_702290683141456_3351804132577381551_o

A new bridge being constructed

hjii

n124

Above we see how the river was once buried below the colliery surface

10497105_701759

Viaduct almost gone

Tempory road layout between Treharris and Trelewis

Below we see a collection of aerial photographs expertly taken by Gwyn Jenkins(Pontypool) during the summer 2016

l1

l2

l3

l4

l5

Above we see 5 photographs from above of the Lakes.

reeds-2

reeds

The two photos above are of the reeds, they naturally turn the brown pit water into clear water before it enters the lakes.

Many volunteers from the borough and beyond help keep the park clean and safe for visitors. Merthyr college and the keep Wales tidy organisation are often seen at the park, cleaning and maintaining the area, they also encourage wildlife to flourish there. There are also wardens based at the park.

???????????????????????????????

During 2010, Merthyr Tydfil College ran a Biodiversity project at Taff Bargoed Park with Project Officer, Paul Kent from Keep Wales Tidy.

20 students from Merthyr Tydfil College’s  Construction Training Centre designed and built bat nesting boxes funded by Paddy McNally from Communities First.

Working in partnership to help the environment, a group from the Neighbourhood Learning Centre and  Bridges into Work helped Merthyr Tydfil College Work Based Learning Students place the boxes that will help sustain bat communities along the Taff Bargoed River.

There is a fishing club, a canoe club and a tourist information centre based at the park.

Joy Powell , one of the co ordinators kindly sent me the following pictures of our wonderful park and some of the volunteers at work

volunt

lakes

Above we see part of the reed system that cleans the old pit water, see how dirty it looks?

more_lakes

The water passes through the reeds

vist

Some of the volunteers looking at the dirty pit water before it travels through the reed beds

botre

Above we see the bat boxes after they have been made at the centre which is based on the site of the old Trelewis drift mine.

Bat boxes ready to be placed high in the trees

Above a volunteer places the bat box in the tree

Below we see the volunteers clearing rubbish from the lakes

rubbish

Two of the volunteers are Trelewis lads, the Jeremiah twins from the Shingrig estate, helping to keep our community safe and clean.

bike

mill_park2

mill_park_3

Above we see how clean the water is after passing through the reed beds…2009 looking back towards Trelewis.

mill_park_4

Looking up towards Bedlinog

mill_park_5

Fishing on the lake

A winters day

tom27

A stunning photograph by Thomas Williams

the_park

Around the lakes you will see markings showing where the coal seems were mined many meters below ground.

During 2013 work was done to tidy up the entrance to the Parkk from Treharris

???????????????????????????????

???????????????????????????????

New commemorative design added plus new steps and a ramp for easier access to the Park

We can now see a collection of Robert Amos photographs of the area before it was developed summer 1999

EARLY_DAYS_OF_LAKE

lakes_b

LAKES_1999_a

preparing_lakes

preparing_lakes_site

NOV_1999_LAYING_THE_LAKES

taff_barg

looking_toward_treharris

LAKE_BEFORE_BRIDGE

The next four show the building of the Pavilion visitor centre

building_training_rooms

bulid

ch_rooms

l_24

Above Looking towards the old Taff pit and Trelewis drift offices

l_25

l_22

Above The start of the water preparation process at the Parc

l_29

At the top of the Parc near the Drift and Taff Merthyr pit, early work

Aabri_over_top_river

The small foot path bridge below the Treharris RFC

Atrerefc_from_cil

Abridge_warren_terace

A new bridge constructed behind Warren terrace

???????????????????????????????

Top of Treharris Colliery looking towards Trelewis

Anew_path_leading_from_captains_hill

Abridge_link_trelew_and_treh

Above we see construction of bridge linking Trelewis and Treharris

Anew_path_leading_from_captains_hill

Anew_bridge_cross

Above we see another picture construction of bridge linking Trelewis and Treharris

???????????????????????????????

The border bridge March 2014

947163_187142004771411_1737754600_n

Preparing for the new Tunnel

n124

Where the river once went underground

tom26

tom28

The next two pictures are courtesy of Leighton Smart, the show the area before 1990

l_8_1991

A coal train meanders towards Taff Merthyr colliery, this photograph from 1991 was taken from Pricilla Terrace.

l_12

The entrance to the parc between Edwards Terrace and the High Street

l_14

Above we see construction of the climbing wall on the site of the Trelewis Drift offices.

Finally two photographs below taken by Roger Vowles high above the old Taff Merthyr colliery site on the mountain road.2010

lakes_ag

CLIMBING_WALL