Splash park replacement works due to begin

The free new facilities are expected to open in the spring

A council has announced that work to replace a splash park will start in mid-September.

Oxford City Council said it had secured a £100,000 grant from FCC Communities Foundation to revamp the splash park at Hinksey Park and provide "a new facility for families across Oxford".

The authority said a seasonal splash play area and a learn-and-play balance bike and scooter track would be installed during the works.

The council added that the new facilities were expected to open in the spring and would be free to use.

The new splash park is expected to cost £330,000 in total, with the city council investing the remaining funds.

Councillor Chewe Munkonge said that would be "the only facility of its kind in the city"

Chewe Munkonge, cabinet member for A Healthy Oxford, said: "This funding allows us to maintain the seasonal wet play opportunities at Hinksey Park, which has been a beloved tradition for families since the 1960s.

“The new facility will also include a mini wheels track for younger children, providing a dedicated and safe space for them to learn to ride balance bikes and scooters.

"It will be the only facility of its kind in the city."

FCC Communities Foundation grant manager Cheryl Raynor called the project "ambitious and exciting".

"We look forward to seeing the project develop over the coming months,” she said.

There will be no public access to the splash area while the work takes place, but access will remain open for the rest of the park.