Kingsbury Water Park 5.35

Kingsbury Water Park is a country park in north Warwickshire, England, not far from Birmingham and lying on the River Tame. It is owned and managed by Warwickshire County Council. It has fifteen lakes situated in over 600 acres (2.4 km²) of country park. It is renowned for its birdlife, and is popular with birdwatchers. It is bordered on the western edge by the Birmingham and Fazeley Canal.HistoryThe area which is now Kingsbury Water Park was previously the site of gravel extraction pits that were operated by the Midland Gravel Company. The lakes were created from the craters left behind after the gravel had been taken out. The Water Park was opened on 24 May 1975 with two lakes and 123 acres. It has been expanded over the years and as of 2011 has fifteen lakes in an area covering over 600 acres. The Park welcomed 50,000 visitors in its first year, a number which had expanded to 350,000 in 2007. The Water Park was briefly closed to the public in June 2007 after the area was hit by the worst flooding since the 1930s. At the time it was estimated the floods had caused tens of thousands of pounds worth of damage. The Park was opened again once the flooding had subsided.FeaturesThroughout the park are a number of bridleways, marked cycle routes and footpaths. There are a variety of opportunities available for watersports, including water skiing, jetskis, power boats, sailing and model boat racing.