The Cambrian News took a first look at Aberystwyth’s new biodiversity garden, due to open in five weeks.

In June last year, Aberystwyth Town Council was told it had been successful in securing a £215,205 grant to revamp the council-owned green space on North Road, that previously housed a much maligned ‘rope maze’.

The grant, which came from the Welsh Government Local Places for Nature Challenge Fund, was given to upgrade infrastructure and accessibility, and to enhance biodiversity.

Clerk to the council, Gweneira Raw-Rees walked the Cambrian News through the garden to tell us more about what the council has done to the site, which is due to open in around five weeks “when the grass is established”.

On the site, the council has planted 30 trees, wildflower turf, a wildlife corridor, fruit trees, eight stretches of planters that can be used by community groups to plant food and so on, with the Kronberg tree still standing on the middle.

The council also hopes the park can be used for events, having created a grass bank amphitheatre with the idea of community members being able to hold performances.

The entrances and path around the garden are accessible for those with limited mobility, as well as for wheelchairs and pushchairs.

Much of the park is evergreen, to ensure it remains vibrant in winter.

The clerk said: “There’s no other space like this in Aberystwyth, with the capacity for children to play, an events space, and a place to grow food, trees, and wildflowers.

“There aren’t many urban green spaces, the avenue and the castle maybe. There are other well-loved places, like Plascrug woods, but this is more accessible.

“So far we’ve had positive feedback from the community, people are eager to get in.”

She added: “I’m so emotionally invested, I feel so protective.

“It’s about what it brings to Aberystwyth. We’re seeing it at the start now. The trees, they’re for the kids. In 10 years time this place could be a paradise.

“We hope it’s going to give so much pleasure for people. It’s a good green space for wildlife, and in five years time it will transform. It’s going to keep getting better.

“The council is passionate about the environment; it’s a key issue for the councillors.”

In 2013, the council forked out £6,000 to build a labyrinth on the site, using 720 wood posts linked by a mile of rope. But this was labelled as “horrendous” by residents and visitors. It was removed, in 2019, at a cost of £1,500, after councillors said it was not being used and antisocial behaviour concerns were raised.

A consultation was launched in January 2020, to ask residents what they wanted to see happen at the site. The council said the consultation “demonstrated very strongly that the local community wanted the biodiversity of the park improved in order to sustain wildlife and to combat climate change”.

The grant of £215,205 was “more than the council could ever dream of”, and was, in the end, more money than was needed for the project.

The council made use of the expertise of local groups, such as Greener Aberystwyth, when deciding which plants, which had to come from further afield as local nurseries “did not have the scale needed”, to include.

Gweneira said the changes to the park were sparked by a rise in antisocial behaviour, “some drunken behaviour”, and “irresponsible dog owners”.

“There was some antisocial behaviour, the odd incidents, gangs of people smashing picnic tables, others being loud, leaving glass bottles, getting drunk.

“At night people were coming here and dogs are running free.”

In a bid to tackle such issues in the park, the council will be voting, during their next full council meeting on 27 June, on whether or not to close the park every night at dusk.

Gweneira added: “What we want is for the community to take ownership. Not to be responsible for the maintenance, but to love it, use it, and keep an eye out.”