Customs delay pushes back opening of £475k splash park

Construction of the splash park is well under way but its opening has been delayed

The opening of a new £475,000 splash park has been delayed because of materials being held in customs.

Swindon Borough Council said the soft flooring surface for the facility, being built at Coate Water Country Park, had been ordered from Spain and was yet to arrive.

The splash park is designed to be fully accessible and is set to include a paddling pool, water features and games.

A council spokesperson said it will still open this summer and a date will be announced when the flooring has arrived.

The new splash pad will be accessible and have a range of features

They added that the council is working with its suppliers and contractors to have the flooring delivered to Swindon as soon as possible.

The new splash park will replace a defunct area at the park and its designers considered community feedback from a survey and focus group in the plans.

It will feature a sloped design allowing wheelchair users to access the paddling pool, rumble strips, handrails, and interactive elements outside of the wet zones.

The council said good progress was being made

The council said good progress was being made, with a concrete surface laid and pipe work and drainage installed.

It said it is "incredibly excited" to open the new splash park this summer despite the delay meaning it will be ready for use "slightly later than planned".

It has thanked people for their patience, adding "we promise it’ll be worth it when it opens."