NEW photos show Coventry’s £36million city centre waterpark is taking shape despite concerns of building delays.
Coventry City Council confirmed the park is on course to open in spring next year on Greyfriars Lane.
It will feature a new 25-metre swimming pool, gym, squash courts, dance studio and day spa.
But the most eagerly anticipated attraction will be the park’s nine flume slides.
These include the ‘Navigator’ – a waterpark version of a roller coaster which has both uphill and downhill drops in a tube.
There will also be a ‘Speed Slide’ – featuring a drop of 20 metres – and a whirlpool style ride with a plunge pool.
Each ride will be complemented by light and sound features for an immersive ride experience.
The council tweeted: “The new water park is looking good. The wooden base for the metallic blue cladding is almost complete.”
The council transferred around £500,000 intended to develop the area around the park to the Upper Precinct project in July.
This sparked concerns development of the new park may be placed on hold.
But a council spokesperson said it will not delay the completion of the new attraction.
The spokesperson added the money transferred to the Upper Precinct scheme was only for improving the area around the park – pavements and roads – and not the park itself.
Grants to complete the works in the surrounding area will be applied for by the council to the West Midlands Combined Authority or the Local Enterprise Partnership.
The plans for the Upper Precinct include removing the unpopular escalator to restore the vista from the Lower Precinct to the cathedral.
Council leaders have said redevelopment plans are vital to revitalising the flagging city centre and bringing back shoppers and visitors, day and night, in time for UK City of Culture 2021.
