Frustration as splash park stays shut in heatwave

Parents have expressed frustration after a troubled £475,000 water play area failed to open in time for half-term.

Coate Water Splash Park in Swindon could have been very popular during the spring heatwave but it has been closed since last summer due to tiles becoming a trip hazard.

Rachael Stone, a mother-of-three who runs a Facebook group monitoring when the park is open, said the attraction had never been run "at full operation".

Swindon Borough Council said its priority was ensuring "all necessary safety checks have been completed" before it opens. It previously said the park was expected to re-open by the end of May.

The facility has several shallow play zones, with water features and games, plus a paddling pool.

It first opened in August 2024 but there have been several unexpected closures due to issues with flooring.

Stone said the council has had "plenty of time" to carry out safety checks.

"It's the same sort of excuse every year," she said. "They seem to be quite reluctant to run it in general."

Stone, whose Facebook group is called Coate Water Splash Park Watch, said visitors either arrive with children in swim suits only to find the park closed or "you get in and it turns off after 10 minutes".

"It [is] just so unreliable," she added.

According to Swindon Borough Council's website, the park "usually operates every day from the end of May to the end of September".

In March, the council said it was on track to reopen at the end of May after a new surface was laid.

In a statement, the authority said: "We are currently carrying out final checks and testing in preparation for opening for the 2026 season."

It said it intended to open the park as soon as possible.

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