New Artwork at Ffos Las

The approach to the Ffos Las Racecourse in the Gwendraeth Valley has been enhanced with horse racing themed artwork.

It is the final phase of a Gwendraeth Valley Greening Environmental Improvement scheme which has benefited a number of local villages through a series of improvements thanks to a £73,000 grant from the Welsh Government.

Funded through the Western Valleys Regeneration Area and delivered in three phases by Carmarthenshire County Council, the scheme also includes environmental enhancement works in the villages of Tumble, Pontyberem, Carway and Trimsaran, as well as the improvement of Tumble Car Park.

The final phase has been the creation of an artwork feature on the entrance to Carway that has softened the visual impact of the new roundabout and created a sense of arrival for visitors who are travelling to Ffos Las racecourse which is one of the county’s main visitor attractions.

The artwork has picked up on the Ffos Las theme with horses and riders being the main element of this new gateway feature.

The scheme was implemented as a result of recommendations and suggestions made in the Western Valleys Regeneration Area Landscape Strategy along with a number of local regeneration strategy documents.

The schemes have contributed to the improvement of a number of environmental eyesores along some of the main routes through the Gwendraeth Valley which will in turn improve the general prosperity of the area.

The Welsh Government’s Housing, Regeneration and Heritage Minister Huw Lewis said: “Creating attractive environments there is vital to regenerating our valleys communities.

“We have always wanted the funding of the Western Valleys Regeneration Area to contribute to improve the lives of people who live there but by including schemes like the improvements at Ffos Las, we can also improve the experience of those who visit, and do business there.”

Carmarthenshire County Council executive board member for regeneration and leisure Cllr Meryl Gravell said: “We thought it would be nice to have some artwork by this roundabout to improve the entrance to the exciting Ffos Las Racecourse. It is appropriate that the artwork depicts horse racing.

“I’m delighted that the officers came up with the funding through the Welsh Government Regeneration Area grant. I would like to thank all those involved in the project, both in finding the funding and in designing and producing the artwork.”

Caption: Pictured with the new artwork at the entrance to Ffos Las Racecourse, from left, executive board member for regeneration and leisure Cllr Meryl Gravell, Ffos Las Director David Thursfield, Ffos Las general manager Tim Long, council project engineer Paul Thomas, Roger Williams of Afan Landscapes, and council physical regeneration programme co-ordinator Cath Jones.

Pic Jeff Connell