Skip to content

Get ready to make a splash at Riverside

The newly refurbished splash pad at Riverside Park and Pools in Wallingford will be ready to welcome visitors from tomorrow Saturday 8 July.

The refurbishment work, which started in May, has introduced lots of new and exciting features including:

  • Water arches
  • Raised Features
  • Tap Tap activators children can use to trigger water sequences
  • Play zones for children of different ages and abilities
  • A whoosh shower
  • Sky drenchers and more!

Cllr Maggie Filipova-Rivers, Cabinet Member for Community Wellbeing at South Oxfordshire District Council, said: “I’m really proud of our council officers and the team at The Splash and One Consulting Group for getting this fantastic facility ready on time. It’s going to be so popular and not just with children!

“At a time when finances are stretched for many it’s great that something like this is free to use and will provide hours of entertainment over the summer.”

South Oxfordshire District Council, which owns the site, used £296,450 of CIL (Community Infrastructure Levy) money, which comes from developer contributions to the local area to finance the project.

Cllr Pieter-Paul Barker, Cabinet Member for Finance and Property Assets at South Oxfordshire District Council, said: “This is a great example of how we can use developer contributions to improve facilities here in Wallingford and Crowmarsh that will benefit families across South Oxfordshire.

“The Riverside Park and Pools site is so popular, and the pool and campsite have already had a lot of visitors since they opened in May. This fantastic splash pad is just going to attract even more people to the area which will have a great impact on the local economy.”

As well as the bright and colourful new features, the council has focused on the health and safety of children and families in the design of the splash pad. 

Uneven paving slabs have been removed, repairs have been carried out on the promenade and perimeter area of the site and a new disabled access pathway has been installed from the splash pad to the car park to make access easier for those in wheelchairs and those using buggies and pushchairs.

The new surface of the splash pad is made of a rubber crumb with UV protection to prevent algae forming which will reduce the chances of slips and falls when children are running around.

The splash pad, which will use water from the river and rainfall (this is then circulated and cleaned through plantroom equipment so safe for users), will also minimise water and power use, which will also mean it reduces its carbon emissions.

From the 8 July the splash pad will be turned on every day from 9am to 6pm and is free to use with no bookings required.

The Riverside site is managed by GLL, the council’s leisure provider. They will be overseeing the running of the pool and splash pad over the summer season.