£160,000 upgrade for Aberavon Aqua Splash visitor facilities

A modern ‘changing place’ with facilities for people with disabilities, refurbished public toilets and access improvements are on their way to the Aberavon Seafront’s popular Aqua Splash attraction.

It follows a decision to accept a £120,000 funding offer from the Welsh Government’s Brilliant Basics Scheme to carry out the Aberavon Changing Place Project by Neath Port Talbot Council’s Regeneration and Sustainable Development Cabinet Board.

Neath Port Talbot Council is providing £40,000 match funding for the project.

Brilliant Basics is a new Wales wide fund that will support public, third sector and not for profit organisations to deliver basic small scale tourism infrastructure improvements and help ensure all visitors to Wales have a positive and memorable experience throughout their stay.

Council officers first submitted an expression of interest for this project to the Welsh Government’s Brilliant Basics scheme in 2020 but applications were suspended due to Covid-19. However, the funding became available again in July 2021 and a successful application was submitted by the Council for the previously proposed scheme.

By March 31^st next year the project is due to deliver new pathways leading to Aqua Splash, refurbished male, female and disabled toilets and a new, fully accessible changing place.

Cllr Annette Wingrave, Neath Port Talbot Council’s Cabinet Member for Regeneration and Sustainable Development, said: “It is intended that once the works are complete, the public toilet provision and changing place at this location will not be subject to seasonal opening and will be open to the public all year.

“This will ensure the Aberavon Seafront remains a destination which is accessible to disabled visitors and their families all year round.”

Already a hit with families a new, improved Aqua Splash opened to the public on the seafront in July this year.

Users of the attraction now enjoy more than 30 water features including fountains, jets and a giant, tipping water bucket. New seating areas and facilities have also now been put in place around the Splash Pad site.

(Lead image: Neath Port Talbot Council)