Penzance Leisure Centre Flume Refurbishment: How We Refurbed a Coastal Leisure Centre’s Water Slide

The Challenge: Protecting a Coastal Icon

Penzance Leisure Centre’s beloved internal flume structure was facing a serious threat. The steel framework supporting the staircase and access platform, constantly exposed to the highly corrosive, humid, and chemically-treated “wetside” swimming pool environment, was showing significant corrosion and deterioration. The existing paint system had failed, compromising both the aesthetic appeal and the long-term structural integrity of the facility’s key attraction.

The project had a critical second challenge: completing a full-scale restoration while the leisure centre remained a live, operational building. Meticulous planning was required to execute the work without impacting the public’s access or the facility’s normal operating hours.

Our Solution: Long-Term Protection and Zero Disruption

Parkwood Project Management (PPM) developed a comprehensive scope of work to restore the steelwork to a pristine, protected condition:

Phase 1: Precision Restoration

Corrosion Removal: Complete removal of all existing corrosion down to bare metal, followed by thorough surface preparation to ensure a contamination-free foundation.

Phase 2: The High-Performance Coating System

We specified a robust, two-layer paint system from Sherwin Williams, designed for maximum durability in aggressive, chemically exposed locations:

Operational Success: Minimising Impact

To ensure the centre remained open and operational, a strict methodology for execution was implemented:

• Night-Time Operations: Our contractors worked primarily outside of normal business hours (Mon-Fri: 6:30 am–10:00 pm; Sat-Sun: 7:00 am–8:00 pm), with night-time shifts (22:00–06:00) being a crucial allowance.
• Total Site Protection: Extensive site protection was mandatory to safeguard everything from the GRP waterslide surfaces to the swimming pool water itself.
• Fixed Logistics: Our successful tender included all high-level access equipment, effective barriers to safely segregate the work area, and a fixed, inclusive cost for all materials, labour, and travel—providing the client with total cost certainty.

The result is a fully restored, structurally sound flume support system, ready to entertain visitors for many years to come.

Penzance

Penzance Council

• Project Management
• Employers Agent
• Contract Administration

The finished project: