There's a bit of noise about Swansea's brand new 1.1-acre coastal park.
The attraction has been broadly welcomed and become a popular place to gather since it was opened by Sophie, the Countess of Wessex, in March, 2022. Situated next to Swansea Arena, the park forms part of Swansea Council's £135 million Copr Bay phase one district.
The interactive park includes plenty of new greenery, play areas for children, bug hotels, water features and a selection of new trees. It also has solar-powered benches allowing people to charge smartphones, tablets and laptops. It's the first new park in Swansea since Victorian times, and offers a new place for parents to keep their kids entertained, or simply for adults to have a stroll. You can read more Swansea stories here.
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But there is one aspect of the new play area that's proving less popular with some Swansea locals. It is filled with objects which clang, squeak and hoot. And some residents have called the noise made by the play equipment "invasive", suggesting it has made them want to hurry through the park, rather than amble through as designed.
The noise issue was highlighted in a post on the Only Happens in Swansea Facebook page and it's sparked a significant response, on both sides of the argument.
One commentator said: "Yes, very annoying. I wouldn't want to sit in the café listening to that. The noisy stepping stones are awful too. I bet the poor people in flats are hating it. My nephew loved them though. Great for kids." You can get more Swansea news and other story updates by subscribing to our newsletters here.
Another added: "Yes!! As someone who gets sensory overload I couldn't sit and enjoy my coffee, I made my bf down his coffee so we could go immediately, not something that should be outside such a nice new coffee shop where people want to come and relax or catch up with people."
"Definitely invasive. The poor beggars who live next door must despair. We walked behind those houses en route to the coastal path and it sounded like an army of Peruvian buskers on amphetamines," said another.
This person also found the noises an unwelcome distraction: "I walked through there and did not stop for a coffee because I found them incredibly annoying. It’s okay for the people who say that people are whingeing, but don’t forget you can go home, the people who live there don’t have any choice that is where they live!"
As for the people who live near the park, a spokesperson for the Maritime Quarter Residents Association said they had not received any official complaints. "Nobody has contacted us directly about this, although I have heard people say that if you live close to the Coastal Park, it could drive you crackers!"
A spokesperson for The Green Room, the new bar and restaurant in the park, said they also hadn't received any comments about the flutes, however, and many people were quick to praise them on social media.
One person said: "Oh my goodness, please don't tell me someone is going to start a petition to get these removed? They are a great addition, the new interactive gardens, and of course kids love making noise. Was this person never a child!" Another added: "Not at all, my eight-year-old loves them. It’s so nice to have something interesting to do in a park for a change."
Another commentator said: "My son loved exploring them all, they're absolutely brilliant. People will moan over anything." And another joked: "One of the advantages of me being 60% deaf so not heard them, but I might like them! Lol."
"Traffic noise is a pain. Wind is annoying, bloody hills!," remarked one person which a dose of sarcasm.
In response to the comments, a Swansea Council spokesperson said: “Feedback about the coastal park has been very positive since it opened, but we will continue to take people’s views on board."
