A popular splash park on Ryde Esplanade remains locked and it’s doubtful whether it will reopen at all this summer, with the park’s entire future uncertain, Island Echo can reveal.
It’s understood that Waterside Community Trust, which runs the Isaac Hayward Paddling Pool and Water Play Area, has given notice on its tenure due to the spiralling costs of keeping the park operational.
In 2019, Island Echo reported that the pumping equipment was failing. At the time it was said that the plant room was ‘very old’ with works to repair and maintain costing thousands of pounds. The coronavirus pandemic then came along which meant the pool remained closed throughout 2020, with the pumps and pipework sitting dormant for an extended period of time.
Although the park re-opened to the public last year it was with a temporary hosepipe running out of the pump house. Furthermore, a splash bucket installed in 2018/2019 was still not working – and never has done.
Now, it has been confirmed that the gates will be remaining firmly locked for the time being as the Isle of Wight Council has not been given enough time to put an alternative plan in place. The park is normally open between May and September.
Island Echo has been chasing statements from Waterside Community Trust, the Isle of Wight Council and Ryde Town Council for the last 10 days – but information has not been very forthcoming.
Now, a spokesperson for Ryde Town Council has confirmed that a ‘working group’ has been established in order to be ready to investigate the possible future options for the park.
Ryde Town Council has also confirmed that they are not directly involved in the splash park at the moment as Waterside Community Trust did not approach them for any grant funding this year, which has been the case in previous years.
The spokesperson has told Island Echo:
“Once the immediate future of the Splashpark is sorted between IWC [Isle of Wight Council] and WCT [Waterside Community Trust], Ryde Town Council, and specifically the Splashpark Working Group, will look to work in collaboration with all stakeholders to investigate the medium and long term future”.
Historically, the paddling pool was just that – a pool – but in the early 2000s a new splash park was formed in memory of 5-year-old Isaac Hayward. Waterside Pool took over the running of the park in 2014, with the Waterside Community Trust then becoming responsible for it when the Trust was formed in 2017.
This is just such sad news, local people kindly raised money which contributed to this lovely facility and permanent memorial to our son Isaac who sadly passed away in 2001. Isaac’ siblings now have children if their own who have spent many hours playing in the splash park. It has provided a free and safe place for local children to play during the summer month. To close this facility when so many families with young children are struggling due to the financial crisis is just devastating.
Close it for good. Let those who get child allowance and child tax credits pay for it
You clearly have an issue, most unfortunate however that you choose such a nasty comment to add.
That’s a heartless attitude , you sound like a very self centred individual
What a nasty person you must be!
What a grump
Are you completely stupid or just ignorant, what a ridiculous comment
This is in memory of a little boy have a heart for goodness sake!!! You were a child once!!
You nasty, nasty person. Or are you perhaps ill and have some syndrome that gives you a kick out of either riling people OR you have some freaky ‘get off’ on how many down thumbs you can acquire – I hope not because in that case we’ve played into your hands. Either way you’re a very nasty sad individual. I believe in karma so do watch out for your ‘comes around’ when it does and feel sorrow then for your vile words.
Lucy has a personal element for you, your son Isaac sadly passed away in 2001, it is most unfortunate that an individual below chose to comment the way she did, please be assured there are people who are saddened by your loss and respect your situation.
I apologise on behalf of many people who find this comment unacceptable, the individual who passed this comment should be ashamed.
I believe the comment should remain in place, and receive the condemnation it deserves. and will show you Lucy this is not the attitude of the vast majority.
Totally agree a disgrace to even think of shutting it
Maybe the Splash Working Group can get planning permission for a row of beach huts, and a coffee and ice cream kiosk/van to subsidise repairs. Though the ex-councillor down the road wouldn’t like that.
A splash park will always have significant overheads. This one is practically on the beach that has 1) fine sand 2) gentle slope which makes it both safe and suitable for kids. Do Councils – iw, parish, town to subsidise a luxury for a handful of locals and one that’s likely to be trashed by local yobs, I’d say no.
The council are prepared to throw our money at the Ryde Harbour which benefits even fewer of us!
I understand it is on course to CREATE money, already thriving at this early stage. It is not being run as a charity. It will be an asset to local businesses and more importantly will REDUCE the taxes of local people by making profits.
Don’t worry though as no council bureaucrat will have their pay and vast pension affected by this, there will still be thousands more houses built to support unlimited immigration on the mainland and the local authority will still be wasting millions each year on non-jobs whilst reducing services cos ‘climate change’
you cannot tell me that it costs that much to keep that open – that paddling pool has been part of island life for over 50 years. It has been the source of many of our memories as kids, with our parents watching us splash around. It was used by all, no matter what background or area you came from.
The council can find money for refugees/asylum seekers and other benefit claimants – well, they can cut back on that and spend some on this community asset that we have all used – after all, it is our money and our island – not the councils.
What a shame that another service that should be run and paid for by the local council has now ended up closed .It can join the ice rink and the large pool and leasure centre at Westridge as a testament to the inablity of this Islands local authority to keep running the facilities for tbe benifit of the residents and tourists.
Meanwhile a mile away 10m is being spend on intergrated transport hub while tbe last ferry time has been reduced to 20:00.
Shameful
Ryde Council’s focus has been on shop fronts and old buildings. They really don’t do much for kids at all. During the massive time it took to sort out the sewer pipe they could have been sorting out a solution with Waterside. Poor show.
It was a dead duck from the beginning. Swan/goose poo all around, rats at night, expensive maintenance. Poor initial planning from the IWC I’m afraid. Nobody in their right mind would take it over and local taxpayers shouldn’t foot the bill to do so.
I’m pretty sure someone with the right contacts could find a sponsor or two for this splash pool to keep it running? Maybe the ferry companies who, let’s face it throw a lot of money at sponsorship, could chip in. The running costs of a pool like this can’t be ‘that’ high that the money cant’t be found – assuming the desire is there to keep the pool or is it being quietly earmarked for some other purpose?
Bit disappointed in The Waterside Community Trust as you were happy to take £80,000 in a windfall payment from the government and your happy to ask locals to sponsor staff to raise money for a wave rider for life guards on the beach in the summer and yet you won’t keep this open for the kiddies this summer! What are you doing about the Swan boats on the canoe lake are you not bothering to hire them out this summer !
Nice tribute to Isaac and sad for the family, but I remember when it was a proper paddling pool and years of summers of sheer bliss. Oh no, not allowed free fun for the kiddies now. Splash park or paddling pool, doesn’t matter. Those in charge aren’t getting revenue from it to further their massive council pensions. Disclosed and undisclosed brown envelope, offshore types.
If the word stakeholders is used, then it’s going to be probably re-opened in a year or so’s time and people will have to pay to enter, especially if the oh so corrupt Isle of Wight Council are involved. Shocking, can’t cost that much to keep tidy. I hope any tourists will enjoy the lovely views of neglect all around the island.