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Fun for all the family as splash pads in the Vale reopen in time for the summer holidays

Splash pads at Abbey Meadow in Abingdon and Wantage Memorial Park will reopen from Monday 19 July with guaranteed fun for all the family. 

The reopening follows the announcement from the government that Covid-19 guidelines around social distancing will be relaxed. Vale of White Horse District Council and their leisure contractor GLL, who run the Better UK leisure facilities in the district, had postponed the reopening of the pads as they are relatively small, and it was felt impossible to implement social distancing while they were in use. 

Residents are asked to continue to be considerate to others and be mindful of safety guidelines set by GLL and the council when using the facilities. The splash pads will be maintained by GLL in Abingdon and by our in-house grounds team in Wantage. There will be increased cleaning of the splash pads to ensure that they are safe for everyone to use.  

Cllr Helen Pighills, Cabinet Member for Healthy Communities at Vale of White Horse District Council said: “I know that residents have been eagerly awaiting the reopening of the splashpads in Abingdon. I’m so pleased we are able to have them ready before the start of the summer holidays for families to enjoy, especially after such a tough year.” 

Cllr Andrew Crawford, Cabinet Member for Finance and Corporate Assets at Vale of White Horse District Council said: “I am looking forward to seeing all the families enjoying themselves in Wantage this summer, I know that the splash pad is going to be very popular.” 

“The council parks team have been working closely with their leisure colleagues and GLL to manage the safety of both staff and our residents in assessing the right time to reopen the splash pads. With restrictions lifting from the 19 July, it feels like the right time for all to be able to enjoy the facility and remain safe at the same time.” 

The splash pads will be available to use from 9-6pm every day until early September.  

Details of the opening times and further information about the outdoor facilities at Abbey Meadow outdoor pool and for the splash pads can be found on the Better UK app and website. The details for Wantage can be found on our website.