Wokingham

Wokingham Families getting hot and bothered in the recent heat wave are being encouraged to keep cool at California Country Park as Wokingham District Council opens the children’s paddling pool early.

Each year Wokingham council opens the popular open-air paddling pool just before the summer school holidays, providing a safe and friendly environment in which families can enjoy some summer fun. And this year, mindful of the particularly warm weather – almost bearing comparison with the other California! – Wokingham District Council has decided to open the pool several days ahead of schedule.

Head of the Wokingham countryside service Chris Buggy said: “Every year we prepare the padding pool a week before the beginning of the school holidays. This year, we’ve installed a new system in the pool which needed testing and so we’ve filled the paddling pool earlier than usual. We’ve therefore sped up the opening process and are pleased to have it open this week, before the school holidays start.

The paddling pool is open from today (Tuesday July 11). It will now be open every day between 12pm and 5pm until the school holidays start. From Saturday July 22 the paddling pool will be open from 10am to 5.30pm.

Executive member for environment Wokingham Cllr Simon Weeks said: “This is great news for families, particularly during this hot weather. Anyone getting hot and bothered can take time out to visit California Country Park and chill out in the cool waters of the padding pool.

“And, after the car park getting packed full last year, we’ve created some extra parking spaces. However, we would still ask people to park sensibly in the designated car park and bear in mind that the children’s pool and recreation areas at the park do have limited capacity. Once the car park is full, so are they!”

Wokingham District Council