Landmarks are on the move

Apr 24 2008 by Emma Pengelly, Rhymney Valley Express

WORKERS involved in the building of Ystrad Mynach’s new general hospital have moved two historic monuments from the site.

With careful planning, 12 workers spent the best part of a day moving a 19th-century fire station and a cenotaph 200 metres.

The monuments will be displayed as focal points at the entrance of Ysbyty Ystrad Fawr, which is due to be completed in 2011.

The cenotaph has been placed in an on-site memorial garden, which will be completed in time for the D-Day anniversary on June 6.

Simon Davies, associate capital project director of Gwent Healthcare NHS Trust, thinks it is important that the two icons remain a major part of the new hospital’s landscape.

He said: “Not only do these two monuments have great historical importance but they are also an established part of the local community.

“We wanted to make sure the designs for Ysbyty Ystrad Fawr incorporated both the fire station and the cenotaph in a sympathetic and fitting way.”

Andrew Cavil, project manager at HBG, the company responsible for building Ysbyty Ystrad Fawr, said: “This was a delicate job to make sure the monuments made it to their new homes in one piece. Both have been strategically placed as part of the ‘way-finding’ strategy to help hospital users find the main entrance with ease by looking out for the two landmarks.”

Major work on the 269-bed hospital is to start later this year.