Welsh Journals

Cathays Park, Cardiff- Prospect and Retrospect 1959 T ALWYN LLOYD I EXPECT ANY KNOWLEDGEABLE PERSON wishing to recall a representative collection of attractively sited public buildings in the heart of a busy city, would think of the Civic Centre in Cathays Park, Cardiff Many tributes have been paid to it, and some of too fulsome a nature, but by any standard it was indeed a remarkable achievement, and still unique in its way. What was previously a portion of the extensive Castle grounds, with tree-lined avenues and other natural features, was acquired from the Marquess of Bute some 60 years ago, and there the now well-known buildings of national, regional and local importance have been erected over the ensuing half century. It can be claimed without exaggeration that Cathays Park is an expression, as good as can be seen in Britain, of civic pride and achievement in what has now become the Capital City of Wales. Contrary to popular belief, the Park itself was not planned out entirely from the outset as a Civic Centre, but rather happened through a succession of fortuitous circumstances. Primarily, sites were wanted for a new City Hall and Law Courts, and at that time, when Cardiff was beginning to think big as a result of growing commercial import- ance, there was a likelihood of other institutions being established there. And so, the then City Fathers decided to go for a larger project than that required for the municipal buildings. There were competing sites under consideration, and it was indeed a happy circumstance that the Marquess of Bute was willing to negotiate for the sale of Cathays Park, though the price was then considered to be a very big one. Rumour has it that the final decision was only carried by one vote, but, however that may have been, credit has since been claimed, and rightly, for the foresight of the leading councillors, who successfully negotiated the acquisition of the Park. Technically there turned out to be certain faults in the layout, but related mainly to roads, levels and the engineering section of the scheme, some of which have since been rectified. For one thing, there was far too great a space in front of the City Hall and Law Courts for traffic circulation and safety, as well as in regard to appearance. Within recent years this has been rectified by the division of roads into more convenient traffic-lanes, with separating grass verges and greens at intersections, which have added much to the amenities of the Park, as well as making for better traffic requirements and public safety.