Water slide outfit makes a splash

By DOMINIC JEFF
Published on 23/09/2012 00:00

A SWIMMING pool specialist from Hillington that has worked on the Commonwealth and Olympic Games has won a contract to help build a super-fast “tropical” water ride for Center Parcs.

Water treatment specialist Barr & Wray is working with Canadian firm ProSlide Technology to create the “Tropical Cyclone”, a slide that will fire a family of four through a swirling funnel at 24mph.

The work is part of a £700,000 contract Barr & Wray has won to refurbish the holiday firm’s swimming facilities at Elveden Forest in ­Suffolk.

The water in the slide is heated to a tropical 30C and rafters can expect to accelerate through a dark tunnel, spin round in a 12-metre wide whirlpool and experience a ­zero-gravity moment as they fly up the slide wall.

Barr & Wray, whose industrial work has seen it fit cooling systems and fire-fighting pumps at the Faslane nuclear submarine base, has to ensure water flow reaches 25,000 ­litres per minute, which ­requires four pumps to be in continuous operation.

The company has enjoyed a surge in contracts related to the London Olympics and the Glasgow Commonwealth Games. It worked on the water systems of seven temporary pools around London, used for a variety of activities including training for competing swimmers and water polo events.

The firm has also won a £400,000 contract to create a hydrotherapy centre at Glasgow’s National Indoor Sports Arena for use by athletes during the 2014 Games.

Lorne Kennedy, European pools and spas sales director at Barr & Wray, said the UK ­leisure sector had provided a boost to the group, which also works with luxury hotel clients in resorts such as Dubai.

“With the London Olympic legacy activity, refurbishment and creation of new leisure facilities in Renfrewshire and at Pickaquoy on Orkney, we’re seeing some increased activity in the leisure market,” he said. “There has been a real focus on sport and leisure this year, with the success of the 2012 Games putting sport and swimming very much in the spotlight.”