A SPLASH park, an all-year playground and a picnic area.

Those are just some of the suggestions the public have put forward to replace the former boating lake at Southampton Sports Centre.

People were invited to attend a drop-in session at the Sporting View pub held by the Environment Agency – the body behind the flood defence project to protect residents of the Dale Valley area of the city.

The spoil gathered from digging defences is temporarily occupying the former boating lake.

The Environment Agency’s plan is to transform the former family attraction into a wildlife meadow.

But Southampton City Council planners will have the ultimate say on whether the plans come to fruition when the application is discussed on June 25.

While some members of the public have expressed their support for a wildlife meadow, others disagree with the proposal.

Bassett resident Kay Welham attended the drop-in session.

She said: “I think we need to have a paddling pool there. There used to be one before they got rid of it.

There is one at the Common but it’s not open all year round.

“Prince Charles announced a wildlife meadow in each county, but this one looks piffling in comparison.”

Possible replacements for the boating lake that were put forward at the drop-in session included a skateboard park, a paddling pool, a splash park, an all-year playground and a picnic area.

Anneke Inigo-Jones, from the Environment Agency, was on hand to talk to the public at the drop-in afternoon.

She said the wildlife meadow received positive feedback during the day but stressed that planners will have the final say and will take all comments into account.

Alan Logan, who represented the Old Bassett Residents’ Association during the afternoon, said an area of land next to the pleasure park would be a better location for a wildlife meadow.

He said: “On the other side of the pleasure park there’s a huge area of land that has got thehabitat.Instead of using the boating lake, that could be used for all these things.

“I love wildlife in Hampshire but this (the boating lake) is not the place to have a wildlife meadow.”

He added that the formation of a touted Friends of the Sports Centre Group could give the public the opportunity to apply for grants and transform the sports centre in a similar way as St James’ Park.

The public consultation seeking ideas has now ended.