Community opportunity to get involved in helping the Kymin
A community activity morning is being planned at the Kymin Park close to the Penarth seafront on Saturday December the 4th by the community groups Gwyrddio Penarth Greening (GPG), Penarth Growing Community and the Friends of the Kymin. Members of the public are being invited to come along, take part in the preparations for developing some grassland as wildflower meadow area in the top of the park, talking about community hopes for the way the park will develop for public use over the coming years and to explore the wildlife and plants of the woodland areas. Children accompanied by adults are especially welcome.
The Kymin has been very much in the spotlight in the town in recent years. In 2019 Penarth Town Council, the leaseholder, announced its intention to return the park and house to the Vale of Glamorgan Council and there was much public concern when the house and an area of the park were subsequently offered as a commercial opportunity on a 99 year lease. The Friends of the Kymin was formed to celebrate and protect the natural heritage of the area and promote public access to the house and gardens. The Vale of Glamorgan council confirmed earlier this year that they no longer seek to offer a 99 year lease but wish to see a sustainable community use for the park and house, and Parks officers are working with GPG and Friends of The Kymin to create opportunities for the public to say what they enjoy about this special and valuable community parkland in the heart of the town.
GPG have recently been successful in obtaining a Keep Wales Tidy ‘Local Places for Nature’ growing pack that will provide some community growing equipment so that volunteers can develop some of the grounds as a community growing space. The activity on the morning of December 4th includes a chance to find out more about the community growing project and to help shape the project. Sally Hughes from GPG’s Penarth Growing Community project said:
“The Kymin is a place which many local people hold dear. We are delighted to be working with the Friends of the Kymin and the Vale of Glamorgan Council to protect and enhance the park, whilst maintaining it’s quiet woodland feel. This is our first opportunity to involve the community, and we are keen to draw on the vast knowledge of local people as we begin to explore the grounds, the plants and wildlife that flourish there. We look forward to meeting with anyone who’s interested and supportive of the Kymin.”
Parks officers have designated an area of grassland in the top of the park as having the potential for a wildflower meadow area and anyone interested is invited to come along to the park on the morning of 4th December to join Friends of The Kymin members and the GPG team to rake off leaves and grass clippings from the area to allow the development of a wildflower meadow. GPG and the Friends of the Kymin have already successfully planted a community orchard at the Kymin earlier this year.
A community map of the Kymin is under development and members of the public are invited to come along and talk about features and areas of the park that are special for them. The morning will conclude with a short walk in the coastal woodlands.
The event is run by GPG’s Penarth Growing Community and the Friends of the Kymin and the timetable for Saturday 4th December is:
10am – raking the top meadow area (bring a rake or a wheelbarrow and some gardening gloves)
11.00am – short exploration of the coastal woodlands, including a walk for children and young people
11.30am – a chance to hear about the GPG community growing project and talk about what is important for you at the Kymin. We will also be joined by Piotr with his Stol Coffee bike at this time.
All are welcome.
Richard Parry
Chair, Friends of the Kymin
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Let us know you are coming here:
penarthgrowingcommunity.co.uk/community-morning-at-the-kymin/
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