The second phase of £23million works to spruce-up Helensburgh’s waterfront have officially been completed, with a new improved public space opening last week.
The works include new terraced steps and a seating area, increased accessibility to the town’s pier and a new feature seating area and footpath beside Clyde Street.
As part of the development, the pier has also been resurfaced, whilst an additional 100 parking spaces have been added – giving a total of 265 spaces in the heart of the town with two hours of free parking.
A new footpath connects the town’s striking new Waterfront Leisure Centre with the pier and waterfront, whilst modern signage and a Scottish Water ‘Top up Tap’ have also been installed.
Heron Bros Ltd, who were responsible for the building of the flagship new £20m leisure centre which opened in September, officially handed the site over to Argyll and Bute Council – and will now leave the site after more than two years of construction works.
The stunning new facility boasts two swimming pools, a luxury health suite with a steam room and sauna, two modern fitness studios, a cafe and a shop.
The council is working with Helensburgh Skatepark group with a view to reopening in the spring, whilst the local authority is inviting expressions of interest for a commercial development on the site of the now demolished Helensburgh pool.
Councillor Gary Mulvaney, policy lead for finance and commercial services, said: “This significant investment for Helensburgh marks another key milestone in creating a vibrant and attractive waterfront for the town.
“We’re already seeing huge benefits to the investment so far as the leisure centre and swimming pool surpass all expectations with a huge increase in new members using the facilities.
“We now have a fantastic public open space that enhances the new community facility and provides an open area suitable for outdoor events and seating areas, simply to relax and enjoy an ice cream.
“It has been a huge achievement to get to this point, despite challenging circumstances including a global pandemic.
“I would like to thank everyone involved in this project for creating such a legacy for Helensburgh.
“As we enter the third and final phase of the development, we look forward to creating commercial and employment opportunities to further support the town centre.”
Cathal Heron, regional director for Heron Bros, added: “We are delighted to complete our works at the Helensburgh Waterfront Development and it is great to see this state-of-the-art facility and surrounding area being so widely used already.
“Over the past few years, we have established a strong relationship with Argyll and Bute Council and that has proved invaluable to the success of the project.”
