We now plan to start filling up the town's paddling pools at Bush Fair, Norman Booth, Sumners and the Town Park from Monday 25 July 2022.
If the filling of the pools proceeds as expected, they will open from Wednesday 27 July 2022. This is because it can take up to two days to fill each paddling pool.
However, Potter Street splash park is expected to reopen on 25 July 2022.
The situation is being kept under review given the impact of the recent extreme heatwave and the reduced water supply to the town. Updates on the pools are published regularly on our paddling pools page
The pools were originally due to start being filled up from Monday 18 July, but this was delayed due to local demand for water caused by extreme temperatures.
To make sure there is no additional disruption to the local water supply, the council has been in contact with Affinity Water. The water company continues to work on managing the town’s water levels following increased demand on supplies.
Many homes in the town continue to experience low water pressure with some residents left with no supply at all. This means the council must take a more cautious approach than normal when filling the town’s paddling pools and running its splash park at Potter Street.
Councillor Joel Charles, Cabinet Portfolio Holder for Community and Business Resilience, said:
“Following the recent heatwave, I suspect young families will be keen to cool down at their local paddling pool. The opening of the town’s paddling pools is always greeted with great excitement as it coincides with the school summer holidays. These much-loved and popular community facilities are planned to be fully open next week.
“I know the delay will disappoint families and I am sorry for the disruption, but there is a good reason why. The council has a responsibility to ensure that the filling up of the paddling pools, which coincides with the town experiencing lower than normal water levels, does not impact on the work to manage the town’s water supply.
“The town’s water pressure is expected to return to normal gradually as Affinity Water takes action to manage its reservoirs. Unfortunately, if the water pressure is low, the council cannot fill the pools to a sufficient level, quick enough, to enable their safe operation. The safety of all is always the council’s primary concern.
“The council is also mindful that the extreme weather could return at some point during the school holidays. Once the pools open, council officers will take steps to manage any refilling of the pools if another extreme heatwave arrives during the summer, and additional measures will be put in place to responsibly manage the water supply servicing the facilities.”
Currently, Staple Tye paddling pool is closed whilst it is being transformed into a new wet play space. It will include splash park activities and a paddling pool area. Unfortunately, this work has been delayed due to theft, damage and vandalism at the site and ongoing supply issues. Contractors continue to work on-site to make the new facility ready as quickly as possible.
It is estimated that the new splash park at Staple Tye will open on 13 August 2022. The council is sorry that the opening will be delayed. This is due to factors outside of the council’s control and it is hugely frustrating for all that it won’t be ready to open for the start of the summer holidays.
The council will keep residents updated about the progress of the works.