The decision was made to bring visitors to the popular country park this summer but some have branded the plans a ‘disgrace’
A Welsh council has defended its decision to turn a popular scenic lake into an Aqua Park this summer. The Vale of Glamorgan Council will open an inflatable Aqua Park at Cosmeston Lake but some have branded the decision “an absolute disgrace” and raised wildlife and public safety concerns.
The council said an eight-week trial period of the outdoor water park would commence from Saturday, July 5 when the eastern lake at Cosmeston Country Park in Penarth will be filled with the inflatable assault course that was once at Cardiff Bay.
In an attempt to “clear a few things up” after questions from the community the council has released a statement addressing the worries and the reasons behind its decision.
Saying it faced a “challenging financial position” the council said the decision was financially driven as well as wanting to increase visitor numbers.
It said: “We want more people to come to Cosmeston. We think offering new activities at the park will encourage people to do so. We hope families will come for the first time to try it out and then stay to enjoy everything else the park has to offer.
“The attraction will also generate income for the council that we can use to support the country park. We have spoken many times about the challenging financial position we are in and finding new ways to help meet the cost of delivering services is one of the ways we can address this.”
One major concern that was raised was the impact that the new aqua park would have on the wildlife, especially for birds that are permanent residents at the lake.
The council confirmed an ecological assessment undertaken by an independent local firm and Natural Resources Wales determined that the water park “will have no significant negative impact on local birdlife or water vole populations.”
The eastern lake at the country park has been used for other water activities for years including canoeing, paddle boarding and boating. Whilst it is unsafe for people to swim unsupervised, there will be lifeguards on duty when the park is open.
Questions have arisen regarding the water quality of the lake and whether it is safe for people to swim.
In response the Vale of Glamorgan Council wrote: “We have worked with a number of partner agencies to ensure that the lake is safe for Aqua Park visitors to enjoy, including a detailed programme of water testing work.
“The testing has shown no issues with the quality of the water and it will continue to be monitored throughout the trial period.”
After the eight-week trial at the end of summer the Aqua Park will be removed and a review of the success of the feature’s success.
The review will also “take into account how smoothly it has operated, the number of people it has brought to the park, and the views of those who visit Cosmeston,” the council added.