Welsh Housing, Regeneration and Heritage Minister Huw Lewis was in Bargoed on Thursday to launch the latest round of grant schemes for Welsh museums, archives and libraries.
The newly-opened Bargoed Library, housed in the Hanbury Road Chapel, received a £279,690 Community Learning Libraries grant under a previous funding round.
The new £3.4 million multi-purpose centre now houses a café, worship space, customer service area and several library resource areas.
The Minister is inviting applications for the 2012/13 round of the Community Learning Libraries capital grant scheme and under the museums, archives and libraries Innovations and Development revenue scheme.
Mr Lewis said: “Both schemes provide invaluable support for our museums, archives and libraries, helping them to develop their services, improve their facilities and encourage greater use by the public.
“The construction work associated with the capital projects can also support short term employment contracts in the industry, and opportunities are on offer in the library for people to learn new skills and enhance their long-term employment prospects.
“The Hanbury Road project is an excellent example of the Welsh Government divisions working in partnership with local government services and a Housing Association to secure the future of one of our historic buildings. It has transformed the interior of the building into a dynamic and modern community facility which is at the heart of the regeneration of Bargoed.”
The Hanbury Library development also received £92,125 from Cadw, the Welsh Government’s historic environment services, and £750,000 from the Heads of the Valley’s Regeneration Area programme. The project also received funding from Caerphilly County Borough Council and from United Welsh Housing Association who delivered the project
Ian Gilbert Chair of United Welsh said: “This building is the result of an extremely successful collaboration between many partners. It’s safe to say that converting a chapel built in 1906 into a modern community facility whilst still maintaining the history and character of the building was a challenge.
“We have received a great deal of support throughout the life-time of the project from both the Welsh Government and Caerphilly County Borough Council. Hanbury Chapel is further evidence of real partnership working to deliver tangible outcomes for the benefit of our communities.”