Shipbuilding, glass making and key historical figures have all struck a chord with the public as themes for the design of Dumbarton’s £2.5million waterfront pathway.

Project leads from The Creative Cell, who have been commissioned to prepare the plan, which will link the Rock and castle with the town centre, spoke with residents at Riverside Parish Church Hall last week.

The team presented results of their consultation survey, which was shared to various community groups and agencies over the Easter period and received 100 responses.

More public input was welcomed on Thursday in their bid to gauge how the people of Dumbarton want their pathway to look, and which elements of the town’s history and heritage should be incorporated.

The feedback will now be considered in the development of the interpretation plan, due in the summer, with the project scheduled for completion by December next year.

Carron Tobin, a sub-consultant supporting The Creative Cell, said: “There have been a lot of people with memories relating to Denny’s Shipyard. They have memories of working on these ships. The distillery too, they have all gone but people remember working in these places. These are living memories now, but for how much longer?

“A very important thing coming through is that there is a time line, starting with the castle. And could we could be telling the story of the castle by creating a view from the town? These are ideas that we need to work through.

“I think for me the most interesting thing about this is finding out about the personalities associated with the area.

“Then there’s the history of the ships being built here; the production of the Sunderland Flying Boats during World War II.

“Everyone who came down spent a good half an hour to an hour with us. We want to get people thinking about the materials as well – the metals. A lot of people weren’t aware of the glass making in the area, so how could we use glass to tell a story?”

The challenge now lies in how to interpret these memories within the walk.

Another material being considered for use along the pathway is that of corten steel – a material that is designed to rust over time but weathers well, mimicking feel and look of the town’s old ships.

West Dunbartonshire Council regeneration officer Davina Lavery was also present at the consultation.

Ms Lavery, who has worked on the project since 2015 when it developed from the Dumbarton Rock charrette, said: “There will be nodal points along the pathway, so what sort of things do they want to see there?

“We have themes coming up again and again, and the wildlife in the area is really important as well.

“We need to install something that’s not just visual, but tactile as well.”

Ms Lavery highlighted that feedback from Dumbarton’s younger generations is welcomed too “There’s been nobody under 18 that’s contributed to the survey – it’s been hard to try and involve them,” she said. “We want people to use it – this is the opportunity for people to tell us what they like.”

Simon MacQuarrie, managing director of The Creative Cell, is a Dumbarton resident of more than 40 years.

Mr MacQuarries said: “I’ve seen a huge difference in the town of the last number of years, and particularly from the new houses that have brought young people and their families – that’s the future of the town.”