JEWELLERY tycoon Pete Boyle has splashed the cash again to turn a pop-up water park in Carryduff into a permanent fixture, creating 100 jobs in the process.
Boyle, the man behind the Argento chain (which had sales of £51 million last year), has ploughed £4 million into the Let’s Go Hydro sports, activity and accommodation resort at Knockbracken Reservoir.
He dipped his toe in the water for a four-month period last summer, when the facility (www.letsgohydro.com) attracted more than 50,000 visitors from across Ireland, Britain and worldwide.
And today the leisure facility - the biggest of its type in Ireland - will open on a permanent basis, with the latest investment significantly improving and doubling the size of the park.
Additional accommodation including a safari lodge, house boat, floating lake pod and luxury camping pods have also been added, accommodating up to 200 guests, alongside a new and improved sea contained café, updated changing facilities and woodland walks.
Further developments will be made to the site later this year to complete the visitor experience including Ireland’s largest cable park and a luxury leisure beach situated next to inflatable water park course.
Other water-based activities available at the site will include aqua rugby, kayaking, stand-up paddle boarding and tubing, and an eight week summer scheme will be operating in July and August for children aged between seven and 16.
Chief executive Pete Boyle said: “Let’s Go Hydro is a first of its kind in Northern Ireland and we’ve invested heavily in the site to bring it up to international standards, and the permanent reopening follows on from a hugely successful summer period last year.
“We’ve worked incredibly hard to improve the facilities with a brand new water park that has doubled in size and high quality accommodation that can cater for up to 200 people, so those visitors returning will see a dramatic difference in the offering.
“We’ve also enhanced many other aspects of the site including improved access, updated changing facilities and new woodland walks.
“The site offers a unique and thrilling experience for both locals and international visitors as well as corporate organisations and I’m positive it will be a very welcome addition to the Northern Ireland marketplace. We will be continuing to evolve and invest in the site over the course of the year to ensure Let’s Go Hydro is providing the best customer experience possible.”
