Community collaboration ensures future of important Dyffryn Ogwen building

Gwynedd Council’s Cabinet has given the go-ahead to set a lease that will ensure the long-term use of the important Canolfan Cefnfaes building in Bethesda.

 In approving the lease for the next decade to Partneriaeth Ogwen, the Council is enabling the social enterprise to ensure a grant from the Welsh Government which will help transform the building.

 Following local community consultation and the commissioning of detailed scoping work, Partneriaeth Ogwen is eager to develop Canolfan Cefnfaes into an enterprise centre that will include community spaces, work spaces (offices, workshops) and a bunkhouse.

 Councillor Craig ab Iago, Gwynedd Council's Cabinet Member for Housing and Property, said:

 "Canolfan Cefnfaes is clearly an important building in Dyffryn Ogwen, and we are delighted to be able to support the important community work of Partneriaeth Ogwen in bringing new life to the site.

 "Partneriaeth Ogwen is carrying out innovative work in the area, and they have ambitious plans for the building.

 "By leasing Canolfan Cefnfaes to the partnership for the next ten years, we will enable work to progress on their exciting plans to establish an enterprise centre. We look forward to seeing the work progress.”

 Cynan Jones, Cefnfaes Development Manager for Partneriaeth Ogwen, added:

 "The decision of Gwynedd Council's Cabinet to offer a 10-year lease on the Cefnfaes building in Bethesda to Partneriaeth Ogwen opens the door to a grant of £225,000 from the Welsh Government's Community Resource Programme.

 "Partneriaeth Ogwen has ambitious plans to develop Cefnfaes which was a school at the beginning of the last century and until recently a youth and social centre in order to create a high-quality community resource.

 "The first phase of the development will create a contemporary community resource for today. The second phase will be the development of business units to let to local businesses and organisations and the third part will be the creation of a quality bunkhouse on the western side of the building.

 "On receipt of the grant, refurbishment work will begin immediately and Partneriaeth Ogwen Partnership is grateful to Gwynedd for facilitating the process."

 PHOTOGRAPH: Canolfan Cefnfaes