Originally a feeder reservoir for the Wilts and Berks canal that flowed through Swindon throughout the nineteenth century, Coate Water is now one of Swindon's most popular and picturesque pleasure parks - and it's easy to see why.The park became well know as 'Swindon's Playground' when it first opened in 1822, and was eventually purchased by the Swindon Corporation after the the demise of the canal system in the early 1900s. Maintained as an area of considerable natural beauty to '...be enjoyed by all the Swindon townsfolk' it was officially re-opened as a park in 1935 by Mayor, FT Hobbs. To celebrate the occasion, diving champion, Cecile Cousins, was invited to perform the inaugural dive from the top of the new concrete diving stage. An act she performed with a perfect ten.