Canal & River Trust Chief Executive Visits Swansea Canal Developments

On Wednesday 19th April 2023, Swansea Canal Society was delighted to welcome to Clydach, Richard Parry, Chief Executive of the Canal & River Trust (CRT), Mark Evans, CRT Regional Director and Nigel Annett, Council member, CRT. They were hosted by our Chairman Gordon Walker and other Society Trustees, and our civil contractor James Daley.

Gordon showed the visitors the great improvements that have been made around the canoe store in Coed Gwilym Park and the site of the new slipway, which should be constructed later this year.

They then moved to the Clydach Lock site in Pontardawe Road where massive changes to the old council yard have seen a new boat basin and by-wash constructed in the last few months, as Phase 1 of the regeneration scheme. Gordon took Richard through plans for the remaining phases of the project, which will see 120 metres of canal reinstated and the Buried Lock excavated and restored. Mark and Nigel took a keen interest as our trustees discussed funding, outlined plans for landscaping, a ‘green corridor’ and other associated works needed to bring the lock site back into an operational condition.

With time pressing we moved to the Swansea Canal Centre site in Hebron Road. James described the ongoing construction work to create the new headquarters building for SCS, explaining the overall layout, the green roof, solar panels for power, plans for access to the canal terminus behind the building, and other relevant issues.

It was the first time our visitors had seen any of these projects and their feedback was extremely supportive of the proposals, our vision, and the standard and amount of work and progress that has been achieved to date.

Their final visit was to the National Waterfront Museum in Swansea to see the canal’s 225th anniversary exhibition which was put on by SCS, supported by CRT. Again, their comments were very positive.

It was a lot to see in just a few hours and we were grateful to our guests for making time in their schedule. We were delighted to bring them up to speed on the work and we look forward to them returning as the projects come to completion and the canal is returned to a fully functional waterway.