Rickmansworth Aquadrome Set For Major Upgrade Backed By National Lottery Fund

Plans are under way to safeguard the future of Rickmansworth Aquadrome, the much-loved Local Nature Reserve that also serves as a focal point for walks, wildlife watching and community life.

While visitors enjoy the stretch of lakes and woodlands, parts of the site are showing their age. Without investment, there is a risk of habitat decline, worsening infrastructure and the gradual loss of the human stories that have shaped the Aquadrome over decades.

Three Rivers District Council has secured support from The National Lottery Heritage Fund to develop proposals to protect and enhance the green space. The project is currently in the development phase of its funding bid, drawing up the detailed plans required for the next stage of investment.

Public engagement on the emerging masterplan has already drawn strong support, with residents and visitors backing ideas including a welcome hub, a Changing Places toilet, a bird-viewing area and improved signage and interpretation.

To help shape the plans, the council commissioned an inclusion and accessibility audit of the entire site. Although the Aquadrome is largely flat, the review considered a wide range of disabilities and how improvements could make the experience better — from planning a visit before arrival to understanding information and the interpretation boards on site.

The audit was carried out by Access & Inclusion UK on behalf of the council. They conducted a comprehensive accessibility and inclusion audit, looking at the full visitor journey from planning in advance through to arrival, moving around the lakes, using facilities available and engaging with the landscape.

Over two days on site, the team assessed everything from parking, pathways and signage to toilets, café access, play areas and the availability of rest points and shelter. They also reviewed digital information, recognising that many disabled visitors will not travel unless they can understand a site’s accessibility in advance.

The illustrated audit report which Access & Inclusion UK produced showed that the Aquadrome already has strong foundations with level routes around both lakes, good circulation space in the café and an accessible toilet. It also identified several opportunities to make the experience more inclusive. These ranged from ‘quick wins’, such as the need for clearer online information, upgraded wayfinding and the installation of improved seating, to more significant enhancements including  the installation of a Changing Places toilet, step‑free path upgrades, accessible viewing points, inclusive play equipment and better provision for blind and partially sighted visitors through tactile maps and audio interpretation.

The audit has helped shape the emerging masterplan, ensuring that accessibility is embedded from the outset and that future improvements genuinely meet the needs of disabled visitors and their families. Commented Jo Copley, Programme Development Manager, Three Rivers District Council

Their recommendations are also supported by Age-Friendly Hertfordshire who carried out a Walking Audit at the Aquadrome as part of the Age Friendly:Live Better project, to advise us of improvements for older visitors.

As the Aquadrome project moves towards submitting its delivery-phase bid, many of the audit’s recommendations have been built into the latest designs.

Some changes are straightforward — for example improving sightlines, and installing new seating to create comfortable, sociable spaces that are easier for everyone to use. Other proposals are more significant, including a Changing Places toilet, a clearer central meeting point and upgraded orientation and signage designed to be accessible to all. Plans also include an interactive site map for visitors with visual impairments and path upgrades aimed at making routes step-free wherever possible.

Alongside the physical works, the team is developing an activity plan to be submitted with the Heritage Fund bid, setting out how the Aquadrome’s overall offer will improve. That includes changes to what the project communicates and how it does so — such as a new “Plan your visit” section on the website with clearer information and imagery to support visitors who are planning a trip with a disability. A 360-degree tour of the Aquadrome is also being developed to help people explore routes and facilities in advance.

The plan also outlines activities specifically for children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities, helping to ensure the Aquadrome’s improvements are shared and enjoyed by everyone.

Having the skills and expertise offered by Access & Inclusion UK and Age-Friendly Hertfordshire has ensured that the council’s plans and funding bid reflect changes that will benefit all the community including disabled people, families, young children, regular walkers and those visiting for the first time.

If successful, the enhancements will make the Aquadrome easier to navigate, more comfortable to use and more welcoming for everyone.

The council expects to submit the final plans to The National Lottery Heritage Fund in late 2026, with a funding decision anticipated in 2027.