Bushey residents have called for a water park to be returned to its former design after it has been plagued by months of issues.

The King George Recreation Ground's Splash Pad has been shut since last Thursday (July 18) in what is the fourth closure since it reopened for the summer on May 4. 

A spokesperson for Hertsmere Borough Council previously said the latest issue is down to a “faulty part” and is due to be fixed this week, although it is still out of action today (July 24).

(Image: Hertsmere County Council) Responding to news of the closure, residents called for the return of the previous paddling pools which children had enjoyed until they were replaced in 2017.

One said the former design with a large shallow pool was “lovely”, while another commented: “Put the paddling pool back, there was never a problem with it before and was always open!”

The former paddling pools at the King George Recreation GroundThe former paddling pools at the King George Recreation Ground (Image: Hertsmere Borough Council) Another Bushey resident agreed, adding: “Back to the old fashioned paddling pool, that gave my kids hours of fun.”

Liberal Democrats councillor Maxie Allen previously told the Watford Observer that the current facility’s pumphouse is “too old, too small, and no longer fit for purpose”.

(Image: Cllr Maxie Allen) He added: “The council has resisted this conclusion for years. But the time has come to accept reality and rebuild the splash park with proper, new equipment.”

But the previous paddling pools, which were built in 1999, also saw multiple closures over maintenance or water quality issues and had around a third of the current capacity.

Commenting after plans for the splash park were approved back in 2017, county councillor Seamus Quilty said the previous pools had become “outdated and no longer fit for purpose”.

But the current design has also been beset by problems as it shut for over a month in late May over “water quality issues”, as well as two separate problems caused by a pump fault and "operator error".

It also follows multiple closures in recent years, including in July and August 2022 and for 12 days in June last year, due to an issue with a chlorine dosing unit.

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