Good morning Cardiff
Today, there will a community fun day in Canton starting at 11am and finishing at 3pm at Canton Community Hall. The fun day will include face painting, Dr Bike, police and fire services, and advice stands.
There will also be a community fun day at the Western Leisure Centre from 10am-3pm as a chance for families to get involved for free, including a 5-a-side football competition for under tens, soft play sessions for tots and adult taster exercise classes.
Executive member for sport, leisure and culture, Cllr Nigel Howells, said:
"This is a fantastic facility which has benefited from a wonderful refurbishment. The free community fun day is a great incentive to get people into the leisure centre and promote an active and healthy lifestyle. We welcome everyone from the local area and from all over the city to drop in and try out the many activities on offer."
Today also kicks off Llandaff Cathedral's festival of flowers which will until Sunday and this year there is a Golden theme. Read more on Llandaff News and see the festival programme here.
Tonight there will be the public meeting for residents opposed to the planning application to build student flats on the old fire headquarters on Adam Street. Meet at 7pm at the communities first resource centre at 10g Moira Terrace. See our article about the application here.
Today also marks one month on since the council took over illegal parking enforcement in the city. See our article here. Do you think the new civil parking enforcement officers have made a difference? Leave your comments below.
What's making Cardiff tick today?
In the news, the provision of Welsh learning for adults is to reviewed by a research team at Cardiff University. A Welsh Assembly Government grant of £300,000 will fund the research by academics based at the School of Welsh to improve language education for adults.
Traders in Cardiff's arcades have said the work going on outside Cardiff Castle is not only causing traffic chaos – but is damaging their businesses, reports WalesOnline. Read the full article here.
Residents in Pontcanna have expressed fears an old nursing home has become the homing ground for squatters after planned developments have failed to take place. Read more here.
The Welsh Assembly Government has announced a refurb of the Arriva Trains fleet in Wales. For Cardiff commuters you are likely to travel on Arriva coming in to the city from West Wales, and the money put towards improving facilities on board (including run-down toilets) will be duly welcome.
On the blogs and elsewhere on the web
If you want to see all the conclusive evidence for Robert De Niro's appearance in Cardiff look no further than DJLeekee's blogpost which gathers all the sightings of the Godfather legend in the city.
Living Magazines has written up a short history of the 'fairytale castle' – Castell Coch in Cardiff North – read more on the blog here.
Also in Cardiff North the local Lib Dems have been looking at how best to tackle smoking litter in the area. Heath councillor Fenella Bowden intends to press the council on cleaning up Heath Park Lane which is littered with fag ends by providing 'stubbies' and warning staff about smoking litter issues. Bowden said:
"I visited the lane again on Sunday and swept up over 200 cigarette ends myself. It was appalling. I feel so sorry for the residents in the area who have to put up with the mess, and for the nursery school in St Agnes Road which abuts the lane. It is a terrible smell for the children to have to endure when they are playing outside.
"It is all very well making the Government Building site a non- smoking zone, but this is at the expense of local residents and council tax payers who have to pay for the mess to be cleaned up by the Council."
Over on WalesHome they debate the source of the Guardian war logs – Wikileaks – and its contributions to journalism.
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