New-look Llanrwst housing estate renamed after heroic caretaker Phil

A housing estate undergoing a multi-million pound makeover has been renamed after a heroic caretaker with a heart of gold who saved two people’s lives.

Phil Evans died suddenly in his sleep nearly two years ago just a few weeks short of his 69^th birthday but his name will now live on in Llanrwst where he had made so many lifelong friends.

Among them is Emyr Hughes, a housing officer with housing association, Cartrefi Conwy, who was one of several colleagues who came up with the idea of naming the estate after the man who residents looked up to and called on in times of crisis.

Cartrefi Conwy demolished a block of 30 maisonettes and flats as part of the £4.3 million makeover of the 1970s estate, originally called Glanrafon, replacing the properties with 14 three and four-bedroom zero carbon modular homes.

Six nearby blocks of 36 apartments have also undergone major improvements to give them a brand-new modern look.

The idea of calling the estate Rhodfa Phil Evans (Phil Evans Avenue) was put to a vote by Cartrefi Conwy and residents agreed.

His widow, Rose, was delighted to hear the news. The two were childhood sweethearts and had been looking forward to the approach of their golden wedding anniversary.

At his funeral, the dad of two was given a guard of honour by Cartrefi Conwy’s property maintenance team.

Despite limited numbers at the crematorium due to pandemic lockdown restrictions, the community was eager to pay its respects and Rose and her sons Rod and Steve were inundated with sympathy cards and messages.

During his long career Phil saved two people’s lives, once during a raging flood and in the second incident he helped rescue a neighbour from a house fire.

His first act of heroism was in 1982 when Llanrwst was hit by torrential rain and floods after a wall holding back a river collapsed. Seeing an elderly neighbour overpowered by the deluge and being swept downriver, Phil plunged in and grabbed her to safety.

On the second occasion in 2000 he and a fellow resident, a retired fireman, courageously saved a neighbour’s life by pulling them out of a house fire. As smoke billowed from the house the neighbour was overcome by fumes and had fallen unconscious.

In 2015 he was presented by Cartrefi Conwy with their annual Living the Values Award for going above and beyond to deliver excellent standards of service to vulnerable tenants.

Rose said: “Phil was a quiet personality, modest but friendly with a great sense of humour.

“Phil never liked being centre of attention and would shy away from ever being in the spotlight.

“But I know secretly he would be chuffed about this, proud to think that people wanted to recognise his input to the local community over so many years.

“He was the best husband and father anyone could wish for. He was so tolerant and never raised his voice.

“Phil loved spending time with his family and with his four grandchildren and two step-grandchildren.

“He loved his caretaker role and took it very seriously. He just loved looking after the older people of Llanrwst.

“He saved the lives of two people during his time, although he never talked about the incidents. He just thought he was doing his job. That was typical of Phil.”

Friend and former colleague Emyr Hughes said: “This is Phil’s legacy, a lasting tribute to a man who quietly got on with his job, never wanting any fuss, but who always went the extra mile for the community which was his home and who made a huge difference to people’s lives.

“He would go out of his way to assist people. Whether they were facing a serious crisis or simply needed a light bulb changing he would be there, even if it was out of his normal work hours.

“Renaming Glanrafon after him is a fitting tribute to someone who was much loved and such a pillar of the local community”

The 14 new social housing homes are nearly finished and will be offered  to local people from Llanrwst first with the most housing need for these three- and four-bedroom homes.  A spokesperson for Cartrefi Conwy said:

The development comes under a local letting policy agreement which means people from Llanrwst area will be given priority in the applications system. Hopes are high that this will boost the town’s economy and alleviate housing shortages in the immediate area.

The new homes are being built to Beattie Passivehaus standard that feature high performance insulation to make them completely draught free. This cuts heat loss to create homes with minimal environmental impact and crucially saves residents up to 80 per cent in annual energy costs.

According to Cartrefi Conwy, the homes are particularly suitable for people with allergies and respiratory issues because of the constant flow of filtered air.

The development also includes green landscaping to make better use of outdoor communal spaces, updates to the play area for children and improvements and opening up of walkways along the riverside.

Cartrefi Conwy consulted with local people to determine what they needed before coming up with the design spec and ground plan for the estate.

The current signage is temporary, designed to announce the change of name and familiarise visitors and delivery drivers with the change of address.

But later in the year these will be replaced with more permanent nameplates and official Rhodfa Phil Evans street signs.

To check if you are eligible to apply for the new homes or get more details on the development email sarth@cartreficonwy.org or phone 0300 124 0050.