Bryngarw’s Play Area To Benefit From Major Investment

There is good news for visitors to Bryngarw Country Park with the announcement of over £200,000 of investment to improve its popular children’s playground. The area will be temporarily closed from 12th January 2026 for approximately three months.

The closure will allow work to replace Bryngarw’s current play equipment, including the tower slide, which has come to the end of its lifespan, with a forest canopy adventure tower of similar height, in addition to a 5m tall climbing net, new swing set and toddler zone.

Bryngarw’s accessible play equipment, including wheelchair swing, roundabout, and trampoline, as well as two more recently installed multi-play units, basket swing, giant rock and natural play equipment will all remain.

The work will be carried out by Adventure Playgrounds Wales and Redlynch Leisure, who have significant experience of providing and installing high quality children’s play equipment, including at Folly Farm, LEGOLAND Windsor and Urdd centre in Llangrannog.

Bridgend County Borough Council and Awen Cultural Trust have been awarded funding to undertake the refurbishment through an ‘All Wales Play Opportunities Grant’ from Welsh Government and Play Wales.

All paths and playing areas will have new shock absorbent safety surfacing, partly made from 15 tonnes of rubber crumb kindly donated by Murfitts Industries Ltd, the UK’s leading tyre recycling company, in partnership with local environmental charity A Peace for Nature.

A Peace for Nature volunteers, including children and families, have removed thousands of tyres from the River Ogmore this year, and the results of their hard work will benefit other children and families visiting Bryngarw for many years ahead.

Richard Hughes, Chief Executive at Awen Cultural Trust, said:

“Over the past five years, we have invested over £1 million in infrastructure and visitor experience improvements at Bryngarw Country Park, combining our own charitable investment with vital financial support from Bridgend County Borough Council and Welsh Government. A significant upgrade to our playground equipment is the ‘remaining piece of the jigsaw’ to unlock Bryngarw’s full potential as a shining example of inclusive play and regional visitor destination of choice. We’re delighted that the council are supporting these improvements as part of our ongoing partnership.

“With more than 200,000 visitors to Bryngarw each year and so much everyday use, it is understandable the equipment is experiencing considerable wear and tear and in need of an upgrade. The tower slide has been a feature of the landscape at the park for many years, but it too has reached the end of its life. Now is the time to grasp this opportunity to introduce new, exciting alternatives that complement the park’s wider natural play offer and allows our families to safely enjoy, relax and connect.

“All other areas of Bryngarw Country Park will remain open to the public while the improvement works take place. We understand the temporary closure may cause some inconvenience, but the improvements will be well worth the wait.”

Councillor Jane Gebbie, Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Social Services, Health and Wellbeing said, “We recognise the benefits that play can have in helping children and young people to live healthy and active lives. “We are delighted to support this project which will enhance a key visitor attraction in the county borough. We are also delighted that the newly refurbished play area will retain all its accessible features for disabled children and continue to provide plenty of inclusive play opportunities for children to join in with their friends and siblings.”