THE WIND has been taken out of the sails of some visitors to Dinton Pastures Country Park.
This autumn, the boat storage at Dinton Activity Centre will be demolished to make way for a car park extension.
This means that 37 sportspeople who store their boats, kayaks and paddleboards at the centre must find a new home for their kit, from Sunday.
The change is part of an evolution of Dinton Activity Centre, which is moving towards a leisure-centre style model of operation, said Cllr Parry Batth, executive member for environment and leisure.
David Masters, who has stored his vessel at the country park since 2017, said that there was not enough notice or transparency over the decision.
“There has been a lack of communication about the future of sailing at the club,” he said.
“I think it’s been really badly handled.”
A spokesperson for the centre said that they are happy to extend storage time for extenuating circumstances. But once everything has been cleared out, work will begin.
Visitors will then have to tow boats on trailers to the park each time they use the lake.
Mr Masters said this directly opposes the borough council’s climate emergency goals by encouraging more people to drive to the lake instead of walking or cycling.
He is also concerned that some sportspeople may choose to drive further afield to other water sports venues.
According to Mr Masters, the storage fees at Dinton Pastures were always quite reasonable. He is concerned that when the relatively low-cost option is removed, some people may be put off their sports.
“People might have to look at storing their boats at home, or at more expensive private clubs,” he said.
Cllr Parry Batth, executive member for environment and leisure, said that he anticipates most boat owners will be able to transport their kayaks or paddleboards on their cars, or tow their dinghies to the lake.
He said: “Access to the lake will be maintained for all to participate in watersports. We are only asking people to store their crafts elsewhere.”
The councillor said that the reason for scrapping storage is due to a rising demand for on-site parking.
The extension would also be an opportunity to improve drainage and the car park surface, he said.
Mr Masters said that he was told the decision was based on “feedback”, but has asked to see a survey of storage users’ views.
“I don’t think an adequate feedback survey was conducted,” he said. “There should be some more transparency.”
A spokesperson for the borough council said that feedback was received in a number of ways, including a public consultation as part of the Dinton Activity Centre planning submission.
Comments from car park visitors about its size, and flooding issues were also included.
Lake visitors can still buy annual, day and half-day lake access passes for their dinghy, boards, canoes and kayaks.
The activity centre is refunding boat storage passes based on the remaining days between Sunday, September 5, and each person’s storage expiry date.
The new car park will include three cycle racks, a bike pump, two electric car charge points, four additional disabled bays, and designated minibus parking.
