Vortex Aquatic Structures International received a Leading Edge Award from the World Waterpark Association at its Annual Symposium & Trade Show, the water leisure industry’s most popular market place, at Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort. This is Vortex’s second time winning a Leading Edge Award.
Since 1992, the WWA Leading Edge Award recognizes creativity in the development of new themes, facilities, programs, services or operational concepts in the water attractions industry, and also recognizes suppliers who have developed new concepts, products or services to the benefit of park members, their customers and the industry.
WWA’s Board of Directors selected Vortex as part of a group that worked on The Wave Coventry, an indoor waterpark that will open Oct. 21. Owned by the City Council of Coventry, UK, The Wave Coventry consists of three floors filled with exciting state-of-the-art attractions including slides, a wave pool, lazy river and toddler splash zone as well as health and fitness center and a spa. In addition to Vortex, which supplies products for the lazy river and toddler splash zone, partners receiving the award include The City Council of Coventry and FaulknerBrowns Architects, Neuman Aqua Ltd., Polin Waterparks, and Water Technology, Inc.
Vortex’s mandate was to design an inclusive family waterpark attraction that would be accessible to all ages and abilities, and in particular those with physical challenges. It created a wheelchair accessible Elevations™ system and Splashpad® that were uniquely configured to the waterpark space, which was already under construction when the project called for additional functionality. Ustigate Waterplay, Vortex’s channel partner in the UK, was instrumental in the successful management and installation of the water attractions.
“The Wave Coventry is an unbelievable aquatic facility. The architects had a bold, unique vision, which provided numerous design opportunities that Vortex was excited to undertake,” said Virginie Guilbeault, Executive Vice President of Vortex Aquatic Structures International. “The flexibility of our Elevations™ system allowed our team of creative designers to work with Neuman Aqua Ltd. and Water Technology, Inc. to create an interactive play experience that looks as though it grew out of the building structure itself. It’s truly a one-of-a-kind facility.”
“Winning industry awards is gratifying because it validates our approach to design and recognizes our water attractions as those that delight children and their families,” said Guilbeault.
This is Vortex’s second WWA Leading Edge Award, having previously won for its work with Camelback Lodge & Aquatopia Indoor Waterpark in 2015. The company has received numerous other awards including multiple International Design Awards (IDA) for its Water Journey™ and Explora collections, Most Valuable Product awards for PrecisionRide™ and Water Journey by Aquatics International’s readers, and a Best of Aquatics Supplier award.
