Not to be confused with the forthcoming Rhyl Masterplan for the refurbishment of some streets west of the town centre, there is regeneration money amounting to about £20 million already in the pipeline. This is to be spread rather thinly between Rhyl and Colwyn Bay and other places. In November last year I asked residents of Rhyl town centre how they would like our share of the money to be used, and this is what they said:1. The ghastly derelict building on the corner of Abbey Street and Aquarium Street (pictured above) needs to be demolished; it is shaming the whole of Rhyl. Residents would be happy just to see a space there instead. If something has to be built in its place, we would prefer a maritime museum, an evening & day centre for youngsters, a day centre for the elderly - certainly not a block of flats.
2. The same comments apply to the derelict (burnt out) building which has stood in West Parade, opposite the Sky Tower, for many years.
3. A skating rink would be very welcome, and especially an ice skating rink. At present, Rhyl kids have to go to a Flintshire council rink on Deeside. This is too far and therefore too expensive a journey for the poorer families in the town centre and west end. A central location such as in the Queens/Savoy redevelopment site in West Parade would be ideal.
4. Houses of Multiple Occupation (HMOs) should be replaced by homes to buy under a shared ownership scheme. This was proposed some years ago by the residents’ own Community Property Association. The scheme, which involved no element of renting, gave the community a controlling interest in the property to prevent it from being taken by a landlord or sub-let.
In addition, residents expressed enthusiasm for clearing spaces wherever possible, planting trees and improving street lighting. Thorough restoration of the town hall was suggested, and there was a call for some landscaping around the Registry Office in Marsh Road.
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