This week's Councillor Column is written by Ellen Morton, chair of Argyll and Bute Council's Helensburgh and Lomond area committee.

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Last Friday, local councillors and officers visited the recently-opened leisure facility in Clydebank and met a number of West Dunbartonshire staff involved in the delivery and the operation of the facility.

We hoped to “pick their brains”, learning from their experiences, before we begin the work of delivering the Waterfront Development which was agreed after years of public consultation and outlined in the Pierhead Masterplan of 2012.

I had heard comments that the Clydebank facility was a 'shed', but that was not true. The building was designed to reflect its setting on the riverbank and in the heartland of shipbuilding and engineering on the Clyde.

It is a three-sided building, shaped like the prow of a ship, and sited to look as though it is about to be launched down a slip and into the river at any moment.

It has views of the river on all three sides and is flooded with natural light. Its design placed a great emphasis on sustainability, adaptability and flexibility so, as well as providing swimming pools, keep-fit and all the usual features of a leisure centre, it could be capable of hosting conferences, and election counts for WDC.

There was also a really impressive array of facilities for people with disabilities and for young families, including the provision of lockers big enough for a baby buggy. All different ages groups and levels of fitness appeared to be catered for and the centre was certainly humming with activity.

There are major differences as well as similarities between the Clydebank and Helensburgh sites but I felt the visit was really useful and am grateful to WDC and its leisure trust staff for allowing the visit and giving us so much advice.

On Saturday Helensburgh’s Summer Festival took place alongside the normal monthly farmers' market.

I spent hours there and it appeared to me to be a great success, aided by the good weather.

I know from personal experience how much work goes in to organising an event like this, and I am aware that only a handful of unpaid volunteers do the bulk of the work, with most of them involved in the Winter Festival too.

I should like to record my appreciation of their hard work and to encourage other individuals and local businesses to get involved. This can easily be done through the Chamber of Commerce or any one of the local organisers.

If you feel that the town benefits from the visitors and publicity that festivals bring, then please do offer to help.