English: Diolch, Dirprwy Lywydd. This Saturday, I'll be attending celebrations to mark the hundred and fiftieth anniversary of Aberdare park. The park - the 'people's park', as it was initially called - was the very first public park in Wales. Developed by the local board of health, it occupies nearly 50 acres that had been part of the ancient Hirwaun common. Undrained, unkempt land, ankle deep in mud and water, became quality parkland and recreational grounds. That work took three years. The official opening on 29 July 1869 came after a tremendous procession of dignitaries and local people marched from Aberdare town centre to the park gates. There at the park gates, in a symbolic gesture, the dignitaries stepped aside to let local residents complete the first lap of the park. It was, and still is, their park, after all. Over the years, the park developed in response to nature and human agency: boating, baths, a public water fountain, and more. The August bank holiday of 1906 saw 30,000 people visiting the park. Since 1950, the park has also hosted annual internationally renowned motorcycle races. These bring visitors from across the UK into Aberdare for what is said to be one of the best and hardest-to-master routes. In 1956, the National Eisteddfod was held in the park. Gorsedd stones still remind people of that event. As I close, I want to pay tribute to the Friends of Aberdare Park, a voluntary group whose members work tirelessly to improve the park for all, and to invite all AMs to join me in celebrating the hundred and fiftieth birthday of the people's park.
Welsh: Diolch, Ddirprwy Lywydd. Ddydd Sadwrn, byddaf yn mynychu dathliadau i nodi 150 o flynyddoedd ers agor parc Aberdâr. Y parc - 'parc y bobl', fel y'i gelwid ar y dechrau - oedd y parc cyhoeddus cyntaf yng Nghymru. Fe'i datblygwyd gan y bwrdd iechyd lleol, ac mae'n ymestyn dros bron i 50 erw a oedd yn arfer bod yn rhan o dir comin hynafol Hirwaun. Daeth y tir diffaith, heb ei drin a oedd o dan ddŵr hyd at eich ffêr, i fod yn dir parc a chaeau hamdden o ansawdd. Cymerodd y gwaith hwnnw dair blynedd. Cynhaliwyd yr agoriad swyddogol ar 29 Gorffennaf 1869 ar ôl gorymdaith enfawr o bwysigion a phobl leol o ganol tref Aberdâr i fynedfa'r parc. Ger mynedfa'r parc, mewn arwydd symbolaidd, camodd y pwysigion i'r naill ochr i adael i drigolion lleol gwblhau'r lap gyntaf o'r parc. Wedi'r cyfan, eu parc hwy ydoedd, a'u parc hwy ydyw o hyd. Dros y blynyddoedd, datblygodd y parc mewn ymateb i natur ac effeithiau dynol: cychod, baddonau, ffynnon ddŵr gyhoeddus, a mwy. Yn ystod gŵyl banc mis Awst 1906, ymwelodd 30,000 o bobl â'r parc. Bob blwyddyn ers 1950 hefyd, mae'r parc wedi cynnal rasys beiciau modur rhyngwladol enwog. Mae'r rhain yn dod ag ymwelwyr o bob cwr o'r DU i Aberdâr ar gyfer yr hyn y dywedir ei fod yn un o'r llwybrau rasio gorau ac anoddaf eu meistroli. Yn 1956, cynhaliwyd yr Eisteddfod Genedlaethol yn y parc. Mae cerrig yr Orsedd yn dal i atgoffa pobl o'r digwyddiad hwnnw. I gloi, hoffwn dalu teyrnged i Gyfeillion Parc Aberdâr, grŵp gwirfoddol y mae eu haelodau'n gweithio'n ddiflino i wella'r parc i bawb, a gwahodd pob AC i ymuno â mi i ddathlu 150 o flynyddoedd ers agor parc y bobl.