Swansea: £135m Copr Bay district opens to the public

The first phase of the regeneration project includes the 3,500-seat Swansea Arena

"The centre of Swansea will be unrecognisable by 2020 as the biggest transformation since World War Two takes shape."

These were the words of the city's council leader, Rob Stewart, in 2015.

One global pandemic later and the first phase of the city's biggest regeneration project since after the Blitz, is nearing completion.

Key parts of the £135m Copr Bay district open to the public on Friday.

They include the box office at the new 3,500-capacity Swansea Arena, which opens next week, and a new 1.1 acre coastal park which will open later this month.

The bridge over Oystermouth Road dubbed, perhaps unkindly by some, as "the Crunchie" and "the taco" will open to pedestrians and cyclists at 11:00 GMT on Friday, as well as a new 345-space car park underneath the coastal park.

Mr Stewart said: "It's about delivering something special.

"The bridge was controversial at first and when it was first installed people called it 'the taco' and 'Crunchie', but I think that was a turning point, because as people were talking about the bridge, they'd subconsciously moved on from questioning whether stuff would happen, to questioning what was happening.

"They were then saying 'well is it the right thing, in the right place, at the right time' rather than questioning would it happen at all."

The 49m-long bridge dubbed 'the Crunchie' and 'the taco', is meant to represent Swansea's copper-producing history

Copr Bay phase one is a key part of the £1bn regeneration programme in Swansea and it is estimated it will contribute £17.1m a year to the city's economy.

First Minister Mark Drakeford, who officially opened the district, said: "It demonstrates real confidence in the future of this part of Wales."

The coastal park is the first major new city centre park since Victorian times and will include solar-powered benches where visitors will be able to charge smartphones and laptops.

The 49m-long bridge above Oystermouth Road links the city centre with the arena and maritime quarter.

Its gold colour is meant to represent Swansea's copper-producing history and its design includes origami swans cut into the steel by lasers.

The walkway up to the bridge has been named Cupid Way after Cyril Cupid, a sprinter from Swansea who broke numerous records.

He was the first Welshman to run 100 yards in under 10 seconds and in 1934 he qualified for the first Welsh team to compete in the Empire (now Commonwealth) Games.

Olwyn Cupid said the walkway being named after her uncle, Cyril, showed that Swansea was inclusive

"I think he'd be delighted because it's celebrating his sporting achievements but it's also an acknowledgement of the presence of black people in Swansea," said Olwyn Cupid, Cyril's niece.

"We can't do much about our history but we can do a lot about our future to ensure that everyone is included and that Swansea is inclusive," she said.

Further announcements about the next phases of the city's regeneration are expected to be made in the coming weeks.

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