The regeneration of Bargoed’s Hanbury Chapel into a new state-of-the-art library has won a prestigious award.
Charity Action for Market Towns has awarded the Bargoed Library project with its Social and Community Award in the Welsh region.
The project to redevelop the Grade II listed Hanbury Chapel was a joint effort between housing association United Welsh,Caerphilly County Borough Council and the Welsh Government’s Heads of the Valleys Programme.
The new library opened its doors in October 2011 and attracted 17,000 visitors in its first month
With more than 17,000 visitors in its first month of opening. There was also a 46% increase in book borrowing between October 2011 and March 2012 (figures compared against the old library).
Gareth Evans, manager of library services for Caerphilly County Borough Council, said: “All those involved in the Hanbury Chapel project deserve huge recognition for the commendable job they have done, in turning a dilapidated and underused building into a modern and community centric centre for education and leisure. It is a privilege to be honoured by the Action for Market Towns Awards, and I hope that all visitors to the library, customer service centre, congregation space and café, enjoy the transformation that was made possible by the hard work of the entire partnership.”
Ian Gilbert, chair of United Welsh, added: “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. Hanbury Chapel is further evidence of real partnership working delivering tangible outcomes for the benefit of the whole community.”