North Lincolnshire Council

North Lincolnshire Council and MIW

The town and civil parish of Barton-upon-Humber in North Lincolnshire has just over 11,000 residents and is home to many of the county’s most popular attractions. For years the North Lincolnshire Council had planned to improve the health and lifestyle of residents in the county with outdoor gym equipment accessible to all.

Once adequate funding was in place, the project for an outdoor gym facility in Baysgarth Park, outside Baysgarth Community Centre, was given the green light. It was highlighted that this kind of facility should be supported by a hydration solution that would further portray the healthy lifestyle message, while encouraging the public to bring reusable bottles with them rather than single-use.

The Brief

The North Lincolnshire Council Project Management Team approached MIW with a detailed set of instructions.

• The bottle filling station had to connect up to the water mains, located on the side of the Baysgarth Community Centre.
• The water system had to be accessible for all.
• The hydration point should not look out of place next to the gym equipment.
• It should promote sustainability and help reduce the use of single-use plastics in the area.
• The MIW team would need to work to an agreed installation timetable to minimise disruption to the public.
• Post-installation, MIW would be required to carry out a regular programme of equipment maintenance, servicing and sanitation.

The Process

Due to the need for an accessible-to-all hydration system, we identified the Elkay Outdoor ezH2O Bottle Filling Station as the perfect solution for this project. Featuring a bubbler, a bottle filling tap, and a conveniently placed floor-level pet drinking fountain; the Elkay unit provides the height of ease and convenience, whatever the user’s requirements. We found this ticked all the boxes for those with or without a reusable bottle using the park or gym, along with dog-walkers, in which Baysgarth Park is very popular.

Our bespoke design offering ensured that we could make the Elkay bottle filler appear as part of the brand new outdoor gym; rather than a separate feature. We matched the colour Pantone to that of the bright green gym equipment, which brings the gym and water system together.

The installation of the gym and water system took around two and a half weeks. With guidance from the MIW team, the Great Outdoor Gym Company completed the install and fitting of the water station, using a local plumbing contractor for the connection to the water supply.

The hydration station was installed first, followed by the pipework was laid and connected to the supply at the leisure centre. After a month or so, the ground was back to normal, and you would not know the digging had been carried out.

The Completed Project

With the Elkay Outdoor ezH2O unit plumbed in and being put to good use, the MIW team now carry out a regular programme of equipment maintenance, servicing and sanitation. This is to ensure the water system is fully functioning and working at maximum capacity.

Looking forward, North Lincolnshire Council are potentially looking at similar projects in two parks within the borough.

Key Quotes

“It was just what we were looking for to support our new gym and the health of our community. The colour being exactly the same is ideal, you would have thought it was the same company that supplied both. We are delighted with it and it is good to see the local community are making good use of it.” – Andy Tate, North Lincolnshire Council

“I love the hydration point, it is the best thing to happen to the park, I use it every day for my dog. The fact it has three different taps for different needs is perfect. Thank you so much, MIW deserve an award.” – Local resident