Plans for park splash pad progress

PLANS to install an exciting splash pad in King George V playing field  are moving forward at a pace.

An artist’s impression of what the splash pad could look like has been unveiled by the town council and show a fenced-off play area packed full of fun and colourful apparatus, with water fountains shooting up water from the ground and water falling down from buckets hanging from towers. 

The splash pad will be located in front of the multi-use games area (MUGA) next to the cricket pavilion and it is hoped that the project to deliver the facility will be completed in the first half of next year.

A spokesperson for Melksham Town Council said, “This design is indicative of what could be done. Melksham Town Council will be moving into the next phase of the design process with our preferred suppliers.”

The town council selected their preferred supplier at a meeting last month, when they also agreed on a funding pot of earmarked reserves totalling £501,000 for their project to improve King George V playing field. 

The new funding pot was created by reallocating money from other funds – £109,000 already earmarked for the splash pad; £28,000 from town centre improvements; an estimated £40,000 from solar farm money; and £324,000 from renovation works.

From the £501,000 in earmarked reserves for the King George V playing field improvements, it was said at the meeting that at least £300,000 would be needed to deliver the splash pad. 

At the meeting, town mayor, cllr Adrienne Westbrook said, “This town council has the money to be able to provide these facilities. Often, people are very good at complaining to Wiltshire Council about closing facilities – we have an opportunity tonight to give the people of Melksham a major facility that they want, that has been promised by this town council.

“We have the money to do it. It would be criminal of us, and something that I as mayor would find very difficult to do, to sit here and not spend that money when we have it.

“It is really important for the people of Melksham that we invest in something that is tangible and can improve health and wellbeing of all ages.”

With a preferred supplier for the splash pad selected, work will now begin to establish what ancillary works are needed to deliver the project, which could include paving around the splash pad and cricket pavilion, and the provision of toilets.