Conwy and Wrexham sports sites to get £3.2m upgrades

Eirias Park has been the home of Welsh U20s rugby for five years

Three north Wales sports sites are to undergo upgrades worth more than £3.2m.

Eirias Park, in Colwyn Bay, Conwy - home to a rugby union stadium, leisure centre and swimming pool - has secured a £1m Welsh Government loan for works.

Wrexham's Waterworld Leisure and Activity Centre and Chirk Leisure and Activity Centre will share a further £1m loan.

Deputy sports minister Ken Skates said the improvements would benefit those of "all abilities, ages and backgrounds".

Improvements worth £2.2m at Parc Eirias will include a 3G pitch for rugby and football, hydrotherapy pool, hockey surface and an artificial bowling green.

The news came ahead of a Grand Slam decider for the Welsh U20s rugby team - which has used the 15,000 capacity stadium as its base for five years - against Italy on Friday.

'Delighted'

Welsh Rugby Union Group chief executive Martyn Phillips said: "Having invested heavily in an academy structure for north Wales, we believe the new 3G pitch and facilities will enable more youngsters from the area to reach their full potential."

The Wales Collaborative Sports Facilities Group - an association of Welsh sports bodies - will provide almost £300,000 in funding with almost £900,000 from Conwy council.

Graham Rees, cabinet member for leisure, said the council was "delighted" to have secured the loan.

Mr Skates said the whole package came from the £5m Sports Facilities Capital Loan Scheme - which is designed to help local authorities to get interest-free loans to get more people involved in sport.

"We recognise this is a challenging financial time for authorities and I am pleased we are supporting them to create the right facilities in the right places, breaking down barriers to sport," he added.