A MUM who has visited Coate Water play park with her daughter for the past 12 years is over the moon it’s getting the refurb it needs.

Sara Kirkby of Marlborough Road first took Maddie, 14, to the park every week but says over the last few years she noticed it had gone down hill.

Swindon Borough Council announced last week it will be injecting over £400,000 into revamping the park and play area.

“It was neglected for quite a long time. It always gets flooded when it rains and becomes muddy, it was awful,” Sara said.

“The grass is all overgrown and it looked horrible, which wasn’t just a result of lockdown, it has been like this for years.

“When I heard that the council was putting a lot of money into the park I thought it was great news and I’m happy they’re not leaving it to rot.”

Soon she will be able take her grandchildren, six-year-old Elba and Wren, three, to the park she once took her daughter.

She said: “It’s absolutely brilliant that I can take them there again especially as there aren’t any other parks nearby.

“I’m very pleased and can’t believe they’re putting all this money into it.”

The council revealed plans to replace the children’s play area with a new park.

Better footpaths, signs, access to the children’s play areas and access to the park from Day House Lane are all in the pipeline.

The developer behind Badbury Park has contributed £424,000 through Section 106 money.

The borough council hopes to start making some of these changes this winter.

And the project should hopefully be complete by late 2022.

Cabinet member for the town centre, heritage and culture, Coun Dale Heenan said: “I’m delighted that major new investment is happening in Coate Water Country Park. Last month, there was unanimous support among cabinet for this funding to be spent.

“I was very pleased, back in May, to become the cabinet member responsible for parks because I walk my dog around a different park every day, and know the great spaces that we have in every corner of our town.

“This £400,000 of improvements is on top of the annual £200,000 budget for Coate Water, and is just the start of our ambition.”

A country park improvement plan covering the whole town will be published in the next few months.

The play area is currently closed for health and safety reasons following a Covid-secure inspection.

It is prone to flooding as it used to be a concrete paddling pool.