Ustigate Waterplay

01/07/2025

Exciting new project news!

Ustigate Waterplay is delighted to share we are working with Bristol City Council to establish new water play at Hengrove Park for a full 2026 season; our team are scheduled to start on site in September!

The project location is currently a sand play area and our first task will be to remove the sand; enabling us to install a water play facility with a wetpour safety surface that will be inclusive and accessible for all ages and abilities.

Ustigate Waterplay will also be installing a foot wash and a low level barrier at the foot of the bowtop fencing to promote sand being retained outside of the water play area.

The aquatic design includes three fan-like, arched Rooster Tails; one that will launch from a rock and two that will be positioned to spray into the area from the left and right hand corner. There is a DDA compliant activation bollard, a shallow pool with a weir and five Geyser ground sprays with Safeswap™ anchors enabling Bristol City Council to add above ground features in future, should funding become available.

The Safeswap™ anchoring system is a bolt-on-bolt-off system compatible with the majority of our Splashpad® portfolio - It provides aquatic play owners with the ability to add or exchange play items of the same flow rates, without need to break the ground. This system ensures facilities are sustainable and future-proofed because new water play can be installed at economic cost, and facilities can be retained as modern. Our aquatic play facilities are built to last and guaranteed to keep water players intrigued and entertained.

Ustigate have worked with Bristol City Council to deliver the maximum play value and to future proof the water play area. Play is vitally important to children’s development and Ustigate and Bristol City Council are unanimously driven to promote active play. The new water play area will not only be fun, but highly educational for the children using the facility. We thank Bristol City Council for their progressive thinking and for trusting Ustigate to bring this project to life. We look forward to providing updates as our project progresses.

27/06/2025

The weather forecast is looking sunny and bright for the weekend with climbing temperatures of 30°c or more in many parts of the UK from Sunday!

We recommend a trip to any of the splash pads in the country to enjoy the benefits of play and to keep cool!

For those in search of great outdoors and a jolly good soaking from top to toe, large tipping buckets can be found at Splash Port in Newport, Victoria Park in Cardiff, Dippy’s Splash Zone at Roarr in Norfolk, Clissold Park in London and Splash n Play at Willen Lake, Milton Keynes!

20/06/2025

🏆 AWARD ALERT 🏆

We’re so proud to announce that VECTORY™, our latest Splashpad collection, has been named one of Aquatics International’s 2025 Most Valuable Products!

This prestigious recognition is especially meaningful as it comes directly from the readers of Aquatics International, industry professionals who truly understand the impact that innovative play solutions have on communities.

This is the 9th MVP for Vortex!

Read more: https://www.vortex-intl.com/news/award/vortex-internationals-vectory-collection-wins-most-valuable-product-award/

14/06/2025

✅Bookings are now LIVE for the upcoming week (Monday to Sunday)!

Bookings go live every Saturday for the upcoming week

🗓️Off-Peak:
10:00 AM - 6:00 PM

🗓️Peak:
10:00 AM - 1:45 PM
2:15 PM - 6:00 PM

Walk-ins are accepted throughout the day, subject to availability

Book now! Slots fill up fast!🌊

14/06/2025

13/06/2025

We love it when a plan comes together and on this lovely, sunny Friday we are happy to share project progress. The new Victoria Park paddling pool and splash pad in Leamington Spa is shaping up nicely and looking great! Well done team(s) - We are excited for the next phase - The pad is set and we are nearly ready for the arrival of Leamington Spa's new resident ... Elephant Loop!

06/06/2025

Installed in 2004, Aqua-Tek at Magna Science Adventure Centre is one of the first splash pads designed and built in the UK and at 1050m2, it is still one of the largest. Aqua-Tek is now open for the 2025 season and inviting all to get wet!

Magna is a magnificent place because it raises and answers many questions. It is a celebration of all things nature and all things man-made. Previously a steelworks, Magna has diversified to become a steelworks museum and a visitor attraction that provides education and fun for everyone. There is an exhibition featuring over 100 hands-on exhibits themed on air, earth, fire and water, a splash pad and a well-stocked outdoor playground.

We continue to enjoy our long term relationship with the team at Magna, providing assistance, whenever requested. We thank Operations Director Stuart Ballard for his recent reference that included:

"Magna has had a long association with Ustigate that started in 2004 with the design, build and commissioning of our Aqua-Tek outdoor splash park. It was a successful turn-key solution delivered by Ustigate meeting a business need of balancing our indoor science-based attraction with an enhanced outdoor facility to partner an existing playground. The original project was delivered on time and budget."

"Magna operates with a small team of in-house technicians and has received prompt support as and when required from Ustigate’s experienced engineers, by phone, email or site visit. The longevity of the installation speaks for itself, it was not until 2022 that the wetpour needed replacing along with an overhaul of plant room hardware such as valves, relays and electronic control system."

"The Vortex play features are still fully operational and in good condition, having required minimal maintenance and no spares. The fact that the original powder-coated steel finish is still okay after 20 years of exposure to all weathers and chlorine-treated water is testament to their quality."

"Aqua-Tek is ever popular with our visitors during the summer months and on warm weather days, remains a key part of our marketing and visitor provision."

We are delighted that Aqua-Tek continues to thrill all of Magna’s team and visitors in play value, sustainability and longevity 21 years on and we wish all at Magna the best summer!

05/06/2025

Help Us Make History for Children’s Right to Play A big moment for play — and now we need your voice. Today, following sustained leadership from Play England , Tom Hayes MP has officially tabled a landmark amendment to the Planning and Infrastructure Bill , calling for a statutory Play Suff

30/05/2025

We are delighted to share Witney’s new splash park is now open for everyone to enjoy! It has been a joy working with Witney Town Council on the project and The Leys in Witney now joins our unblemished record of completing all projects on time and budget.

Witney’s new water play facility was opened ahead of schedule by Deputy Mayor of Witney, Councillor Jane Doughty, with a little help from young Rylee jumping on the activation pad to bring all water features to life for the first time!

Following a water sequence, the water play requires a child to jump on the activation pad to re-start the flow. This procedure enhances the interactive experience as well as conserving water and electricity because the water play will only be in operation when a child is in place to play.

Ustigate Waterplay’s Michelle Minns-Sykes was thrilled to join Witney Town Councillors and interested parties at the grand opening event and described the splash park as one of the most bright and cheerful splash pads in the country, because of the community input to the design, the play value and the rainbow theming that was selected during public consultation.

Councillor Ruth Smith, Leader of the Council, commented: "We are thrilled to bring this much loved splash park back into use in time for summer 2025. I know families will really enjoy it."

Witney’s new, colourful splash park at The Leys invites all ages and abilities to come and have fun! 100% inclusive and accessible features include wheelchair friendly above ground features, fountains and ground sprays. There is also an area that allows water to temporarily pool with a weir for children to enjoy flow play.

After play, the water is collected in a grey water tank, for Witney Town Council to repurpose it for plant watering and irrigation in other Town Council recreational areas – This being a sustainable, water management system that reduces waste in utilising one body of water to provide water play and greener public spaces.

Witney Town Council and their community are happy with their new water play facility in terms of the universal play value it offers and the mechanical and electrical upgrade that includes a Ustigate manufactured controller with remote access, allowing the water usage to be monitored and managed and the feature sequencing to be set and adjusted from any location!

We wish all at The Leys in Witney an incredibly fun, splashtastic summer!

16/05/2025

🎉 National Children’s Day UK is happening this Sunday (18 May)

Let’s celebrate by promoting children’s right to play – every day!

Find out more and get involved👇
https://www.nationalchildrensdayuk.com

14/05/2025

We’re proud to share that the Association of Play Industries will be a principal sponsor of the Play England strategy launch, taking place this morning at the Houses of Parliament.

This high-profile event will welcome around 80 specially invited guests from the , and sectors. It promises to be a standout occasion promoting the future of play in England to key decision-makers.

We look forward to representing our at this pivotal event for the play sector.

Dr Amanda Gummer

14/05/2025

'Play England to launch 10-year strategy at parliamentary event' - PlayNation Magazine

📰 https://playnation.uk/blog/2025/05/09/play-england-to-launch-10-year-strategy-at-parliamentary-event/

Play England is launching a new 10-year strategy on 13 May.

Titled 'It All Starts with Play!' - the strategy lays out plans to restore a play-based childhood for all children by 2035 and renews calls on the government to develop a new National Play Strategy and introduce Play Sufficiency legislation.

A specialist launch event for the strategy – held at the Houses of Parliament – will also mark the formation of the first-ever All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Play.

Tom Hayes MP said:
“The first – and only – National Play Strategy was launched under Labour in 2008 and scrapped two years later. Seventeen years on, it’s time to put play back on the agenda.

We need a new, modern national play strategy that reflects today’s challenges and opportunities. That means listening to children, introducing play sufficiency legislation, and appointing a Minister to lead.

All children deserve access to safe, inclusive, high-quality spaces to play — at home, in their neighbourhoods, at school, and in wider society. Parliament must act.”

🛝🎉