Petition created to reopen popular Eastbourne attraction after its closure
The petition, started by Eloise Turner, has urged Eastbourne Borough Council to reopen the Splash Pad in Princes Park.
Eloise said: "As a local resident and parent of two pre-schoolers, the struggle to find engaging activities for under fives in Eastbourne is real. Our children, among numerous others, have had not many local outlets to expend their energy and experience the joy of a simple, fun day outdoors.
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Hide Ad"The splash pad in Princes Park is a lifesaver for families, especially in the scorching summer months. In the past, this beloved public amenity has provided a safe place for children to cool down and have fun right under the Eastbourne sun. For many of us, it remains a cherished part of our local community.
"With the UK recording almost 30 days of temperatures over 25°C annually, the necessity of this splash pad is undeniable.”
Eloise has called for the reopening of the splash pad to help ‘improve the quality of life for the citizenry, including families with young children in the town’.
She added: “Equally crucial is the fact that as per a 2018 report from the Office for National Statistics, approximately 27.9 per cent of Eastbourne's population are families with children, and from these, a significant proportion consist of pre-schoolers.
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Hide Ad"We beseech the Eastbourne Council to take these realities into account and reopen the splash pad in Princes Park. Doing so will not only improve the quality of life for our citizenry, particularly the younger ones, but also send out a strong message about the council's commitment to its residents.”
An Eastbourne Borough Council spokesperson said the splash pad would not operate due to running costs.
They said: “Regrettably, unless external funding can be secured, we will not operate the splash pad this summer.
“Every summer it costs £25,000 to run and maintain the splash pad.
“We have sought external funding and remain open to that possibility if any organisation would like to discuss a sponsorship opportunity.”
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