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Year 8 Cardiff Bay Trip

"On Thursday 30th September, Mrs Thorpe told us that we were going on a trip the following Tuesday, I was really excited. When we got there a lady called Carol took us into a building called Cardiff Bay Visitor Centre (it looked like a squashed toilet roll tube). In the tube we looked at a model of Cardiff Bay which showed us where everything is and she told us about the city." Katie Corcoran

"Early in the term we were kindly taken to see Cardiff Bay. At the Visitor Centre, we saw an amazing model of Cardiff Bay and watched a brilliant film explaining what had happened over the years."
Natalie Condie

"The guide explained the long and expensive Regeneration Project of Cardiff Bay. He said that it was set up in April 1987 and formed part of the Government’s programme to regenerate particularly run down areas of cities. Cardiff was once the busiest coal exporting port in the world, and the decline in the coal/steel industries in S.Wales had a devastating effect on its docks. By 1987 only 3 docks remained operational and the resulting problems led to it becoming the second largest regeneration area in Europe." Omrit Sarangi

"We split into two groups - our group had a man who asked us to call him ‘Captain’. We then walked along Mermaid Quay, into the Oval Basin Plaza where concerts and lots of other things are held and past the shops to where the bus picked us up and drove us to Penarth and along the barrage. We then set off on a walk along the River Taff where we saw the Old and New. The Coal Exchange and other working places lay on the other side of the river." Simon Reynolds

"A £700 million programme to build an International Sports Village on the Ferry Road Peninsula of the Bay is planned which will have an Olympic sized swimming pool, an arena with an Ice Rink, a Snow Dome, Residential Apartments, Hotels, Restaurants, Retail Units and a Casino." Kiefer O’Brien

"After listening to what the tour guide said about the docks and how they had to create a dam to keep the water from disappearing when the tide went out, we went to the Millennium Centre which was still being built and would hold opera, ballet and dance. Then we walked about Mermaid Quay before the bus took us to the Cardiff Bay Barrage where we saw a lock open and the bridge rise apart for ships and boats to come through. Watching this was amazing and the power of the docks was phenomenal. After watching the water rapidly gushing out to see, we got on a boat for the boat trip." Benjamin Figueiredo

"Cardiff Barrage is one of Europe’s most advanced engineering projects and included locks, sluice, gates and an innovative fish pass. The fish pass was also known as the salmon stairs because the salmon would use the stairs to get in and out of the lake." Billie Shepherd

"We got picked up by the bus and went across the lake and looked at the newly started sports bay and at flats that are going to be demolished. We looked at the £700 million development. It would have an indoor ski slope which was 150 feet high and then there will be a swimming pool, tennis courts, hotels, apartments, driving range, fitness clubs, family fun centre and, of course, restaurants." Charlie Walker

"The best thing that I liked was the ship-trip, though I would have enjoyed it much more if it didn’t start to rain. But it was nice anyway. The Millennium Centre has a huge international rugby field inside it and I wish I could have a chance to watch a match there." Leo Zimin

"Finally, after an exhausting morning, we had a well-earned lunch. In the afternoon we went on a walk around the city. The main attraction was the almighty Millennium Stadium and we managed to get a sneaky peek from the outside. After the excitement we saw the castle where the coach was waiting for us to end the visit. A great day out!" Leo Hudson

"Would I like to live and work in Cardiff Bay? Yes, I think I would. it has a relaxed environment, it is nice and modern and it has lots of facilities, so I would never be stuck for something to do. Finding a job would, I think, be quite easy as, with new facilities, you need staff to run them!" Megan Newman

"When I am older I will most probably consider living and working in Cardiff because of the Cardiff Bay Development. If it hadn’t happened, I probably wouldn’t have given it a second glance" Matthew Dunn

"Overall I like Cardiff Bay. I think the money was well spent and for a good cause." Maria Perez

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