Dundee locals have welcomed plans for a new wakeboarding centre on the city’s waterfront.
It comes as Apex Hotel, which objected to the new watersports centre at City Quay, revealed it will halt investment in the A-listed Custom House until the impact of the development was made clear.
Dundee City Council approved the plans for the facility last month.
Foxlake Adventures, which is behind the project, hopes to have the watersports centre open this summer.
The Dunbar-based outdoor activity company will offer wakeboarding lessons, group experiences and several ancillary outdoor activities.
The Courier visited City Quay to gauge opinion in the area, and we struggled to find anyone who shared Apex’s concerns.
Businessman Chris Van der Kuyl, who is involved in a project to develop the nearby Shed 25 for office and leisure uses, said it was an “absolutely fantastic idea for City Quay”.
The 47-year-old added: “This area has been a bit lacking in life for years. So bringing this water sports centre is just phenomenal. I can’t wait to see people really enjoying the water, which is really what it should be used for.
“So (having) people wakeboarding here, it is going to be awesome.”
Tayside Sea Kayak Club member Christine Crocker said: “I think it will be excellent to be making use of the water area, which is becoming more and more important now with the developments in Dundee.”
City Quay resident Morven MacKeller, 21, said the development would benefit the area.
The student added: “I think it will be good for the community here. The restaurants here are pretty busy but there is not really much else going on down here, it really needs something.”
Fellow resident Kirsty McEwan said: “I think it will bring a lot of people down this way. I think the City Quay has kind of died a death a little bit so something new and exciting could be good.”
Student Sarah Roper, 21, added: “It will bring a lot of business, and also I’m a student so I think it will give a good procrastination for them.
“If you don’t want to do a dissertation you can just chill out at the watersports centre!”
Broughty Ferry architectural technologist Michael Sproul said: “Anything to just give the whole city a lift with everything that is going on in Dundee at the moment. I think anything is good.”
Plans have also been lodged to create a rope-themed adventure course across the water.
Apex Dundee general manager Brett Davidge has previously said he felt the development will impact upon views from the hotel and compound parking issues in the area.
Apex Hotel to halt investment in Custom House to assess effect of wakeboarding centre
