The gates to Ryde’s once-popular children’s splash park will remain closed once again this year, for the fourth Summer in a row, but there is some hope on the horizon.
The Isaac Hayward Play Area, which first opened in the early 2000s in memory of the late 5-year-old, has traditionally been a Summer favourite for families between May and September. But the park has remained shut in recent years due to ongoing safety concerns, ageing infrastructure, and a lack of clear funding or repair plans.
Waterside Community Trust ended its tenure in 2022, citing the high costs of keeping the facility operational. Since then, discussions between the Isle of Wight Council and Ryde Town Council have been ongoing, but the splash park has not reopened.
The area has now visibly deteriorated, with moss and grass taking over the rubber flooring, flaking paint on the fences, and graffiti on the site. More critically, the ageing pump system – described as ‘very old’ back in 2019 – is in need of full replacement at considerable cost.
Despite previous assurances that options for the future were being explored, no progress has been made over the past year, so the gates will remain locked for 2025.
Last year, a spokesperson for the Isle of Wight Council said:
“We appreciate the community’s patience and understanding as we continue to explore avenues for the site’s future development.”
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The issue of the continued closure of the splash park has attracted criticism from local residents in recent weeks.
In response, Councillor Karen Lucioni took to Facebook to say that the Isle of Wight Council doesn’t have the money to run the splash park, with other town councils – such as East Cowes and Ventnor – taking on responsibility for their paddling pools.
Cllr Lucioni says that she expects that the Ryde Town Board will now be responsible for any future plans.
Island Echo understands plans for the future of the park are in the early stages of being drawn up, with more information expected later this year.
Pay yer council tax and get less. Typical, but at least the councillors all have ergonomic chairs to sit in and a fat pension and are right now trying to find another job before next May.
Council tax gets on my tits, it is so unfair
it is out of date.
It makes me wonder how many households
claim they live alone to get the 25% discount.
As a resident you have the right to ask that question at a council meeting, with a few days notice. Journalists will be present to report on the answer. You are even allowed to ask a supplementary. So you don’t have to wonder. You can find out for yourself.
Just make it a paddling pool and stop trying to impress with a “splash park”
Criminals with community orders should do the donkey work like clearing, scrubbing and repainting it instead of there usual even coshier jobs. And maybe approach one of the larger plumbing mechanical firm like ” Clarkes Mechanical or Marshes” to do it at cost as community project plus cynically some free advertising.
Bloody good idea. All of the islands criminals including drink and drug drivers are a good source of free labour and none of them that come up before the courts and found guilty should be made to give back something to their communities.