THE NEW Clydebank Leisure Centre will have Scotland’s first fully-interactive flume ride, helping to attract half a million people to the centre in its first year of business.

West Dunbartonshire Council this week revealed more information about how it plans to make the Queens Quay centre a 'destination’ leisure facility, ensuring families from outwith the area will spend time and money there.

The Aqua Smash Experience flume uses the latest technology from Holland and features a game with touch point lights throughout the slide which give swimmers points. At the plunge-pool a display screen shows the person’s time, speed and score so they can compete with friends and family.

Participants will also have their picture taken at the end of the flume and have the option of sending it to their social media sites or email address using the tablets which will be installed within the facility.

The addition of such a cutting edge attraction is expected to be a major draw for visitors to the £22million four-storey leisure centre, with experts suggesting it could see 500,000 visitors in its first year.

Councillor Patrick McGlinchey, convener of infrastructure and regeneration at West Dunbartonshire Council, said: “We want the new Clydebank Leisure Centre to be a first-class facility and that includes this spectacular flume which is the first of its kind in Scotland.

“I hope the flume will attract people from far and wide to come and visit this amazing facility and Clydebank as a town.

“I am delighted that we are leading the way in the design of our new leisure centre and this addition will quite literally blow other flumes out of the water.” The expected footfall at the new leisure centre has been welcomed by businesses in the town. They hope the new visitors will represent a boom in trade.

June Hyslop, of West Dunbartonshire Chamber of Commerce, said: “From what I understand it is going to be a destination centre, everyone will want to try the flume and anything that brings people to Clydebank is a good thing.

“Business is about footfall, anything that increases that is good for existing businesses and attracting more businesses to an area.

“It is good for business as people will want to have a look about Clydebank, go for coffee and maybe shopping and stay here and explore a little longer than they would have otherwise.” Explaining the centre could act as an 'anchor’ to a draw people to Clydebank, June said it’s projected success could also encourage more businesses to set up shop in the town.

She added: “When people see how successful an outlet is what happens is other people think that’s a good place to be and hopefully the leisure centre will be like that. When people know it is opening they will look to Clydebank as a place where they could do business.” In addition to the leisure pool with flume, the centre will have a 25-metre swimming pool and teaching pool, changing facilities, a café, multi-purpose sports hall, fitness suite, and dance studio.

With impressive views over the River Clyde, the new Clydebank Leisure Centre has been deemed a 'truly unique leisure experience’, by West Dunbartonshire Council.

The centre, which is being built by BAM next to West College Scotland and the council’s Aurora House offices, will be operated on behalf of the council by West Dunbartonshire Leisure.