THE PLAYDROME, the old Clydebank Leisure Centre between Argyll Road, Abbotsford Road and the Forth and Clyde Canal.
ACCESS : This has been superceded by the new very modern Clydebank Leisure Centre at Queens Quay. The site is just an empty space now.
The building may have been superceded by the new modern one at Queens Quay, but in its time, this one was cutting edge - a great spindly construction of steel bracing, columns, hangers and cladding. The structure together with the waterslides gave a sense of being withini a ship's engine room. It will have fond memories for many, but with changing standards, expectations and maintenance, it reached its practical end of use period.
It had another defining moment in 2018 that hurried its demise - a fire. The centre had already relocated to Queens Quay and it was vacant. How a fire could ravage a building that appeared to be all steel, facing brick, paving and water begs questionining. But not was all as it seemed. A combination of materials used and materials stored, perhaps added to by furniture, provided fuel for a fire that lasted for many hours.
It is included here as a record of its existence and an indicator of the constantly evolving urban landscape.
ALSO SEE : Bruce Street Baths index.asp?pageid=715658 and Clydebank Leisure Centre : index.asp?pageid=715950
DERELICT PLACES website : https://www.derelictplaces.co.uk/threads/clydebank-playdrome-sep-2020.37903/
THE SCOTTISH SUN : https://www.thescottishsun.co.uk/news/2682685/fire-clydebank-leisure-centre-chalmers-street/
