Willen Lake, Milton Keynes’ most popular park, is receiving an investment of more than £2million from The Parks Trust in the first half of 2017.
The money will be used to improve facilities for visitors, including the installation of a state of the art ‘Splash Park’.
The ‘Splash Park’ will be joined by a new coffee and ice cream kiosk, with increased toilet facilities, and a new, surfaced car park offering an additional 300 spaces.
Additional natural play features will be installed and grass areas within the site will be re-landscaped, improving the space available for play, picnics and events. Furthermore earth bunds will be formed to better screen the site from traffic noise from Brickhill Street.
Initial tree and shrub clearing work has already begun in preparation for the earth moving and construction works which will start later this month.
The development is expected to complete in its entirety by early June, in order to have the full site and all new installations operational for the busy summer period.
Rob Wood is the new general manager at Willen Lake, and is tasked with assisting the implementation of the project, before managing the improved site.
“It’s incredibly exciting for us all at Willen Lake, and The Parks Trust, to begin the New Year with such a large project," he said.
"This development will greatly enhance the existing facilities at the site and provide our visitors with even more opportunities to enjoy the beautiful landscape and tranquil surroundings of the lake.”
During the work the lake, watersports centre and wakeboarding centre, café and play area will all remain open and accessible, but the north bay car park will be closed temporarily and visitors should use the south car park behind the gym, pub and Premier Inn.
This is the first phase of a larger improvement plan for Willen Lake, with a second phase focusing on the café and wakeboarding centre initially planned for completion in time for Summer 2018.
