Following the recent setback at the Coate Water Splash Park, Swindon Borough Council is taking decisive action to bring an exciting new splash park to the area.
The popular play area had to be closed down earlier this month due to another equipment failure that occurred after routine maintenance.
Swindon Borough Council were hopeful of swiftly repairing the park so that children could enjoy its facilities during the summer holidays. Regrettably, specialist contractors revealed that the required repairs would exceed £10,000 and couldn’t be undertaken until the middle of August.
This left limited time for the park to be enjoyed before its seasonal closure during autumn and winter.
In response to the situation, the Council’s Cabinet Member for the Environment and Transport, Councillor Chris Watts, has taken charge and directed council officers to initiate the procurement process for an entirely new splash park.
The aim is to provide an upgraded and improved play area that will delight children and families alike, fostering a sense of excitement and anticipation among residents.
With the procurement process now underway, Swindon Borough Council aims to collaborate with industry experts to design and construct a state-of-the-art splash park.
The new splash park is expected to address previous issues experienced at the old facility, providing a long-term solution to maintenance challenges and ensuring a seamless user experience.
While the current closure of the Coate Water Splash Park may be disappointing to many, the prospect of a new and improved play area should hopefully generate excitement throughout the town.
Councillor Chris Watts, Swindon Borough Council’s Cabinet Member for the Environment and Transport, said: “Coate Water is one of the Borough’s most loved country parks and we want to make it even better, which includes ensuring the facilities are fit for purpose for the people who use it. Since I took over as Cabinet Member it has been clear that the splash park was at the end of its life and would need to be completely replaced.
“We had hoped we would get one more summer out of it, but the plant is creaking at the seams and could not stand up to the latest routine maintenance. We’ve therefore taken the decision now not to spend thousands of pounds for just a few weeks’ of use and to concentrate all our efforts on creating a new splash park which can be used for many years to come.
“Through the procurement process we will be reaching out to interested parties and stakeholders to help guide us to our final decision by creating a focus group. This will form part of a larger plan to re-open the golf facilities, provide an enhanced catering offering and a cleaning program for the lake to allow greater and more diverse use.”
