Sandwell Aquatics Centre: 4,000-seater venue to back Birmingham Commonwealth Games bid unveiled
An aquatics centre in Sandwell for Birmingham's 2022 Commonwealth Games bid would include a diving pool and seating for up to 4,000 spectators, it has been announced.
The location for the new Sandwell Aquatics Centre is yet to be disclosed, but organisers behind the bid have revealed what the facility would hold.
A new image has been released today showing what the centre could look as more plans were revealed about the bid.
It came after the bid team faced criticism after no events were as yet planned in the rest of the Black Country.
The aquatics centre would include a 50m pool, a warm-up pool and competition diving pool with a moveable floor.
Spectator seating for up to 1,000 would feature. This would be increased to 4,000 during the Games.
Opening could take place in 2021.
Plans for the centre are already underway, following a public consultation and a cabinet report by Sandwell Council.
Today it also emerged that Aston Villa's ground Villa Park would host the Rugby 7s competition and Coventry's Ricoh Arena would host the Netball tournament.
Sandwell Councillor Richard Marshall, cabinet member for leisure, said: “Sandwell prides itself on providing high quality sport and leisure facilities to our customers.
"Our recent consultation identified a lack of competitive swimming facilities to support water based sports and meet the expectations of our customers.
“We are keen to support Birmingham with its bid for the 2022 Commonwealth Games and this Aquatic Centre will provide not only fantastic facilities for the Games but a legacy of better swimming facilities for our residents.”
Paul Brown, Black Country LEP Board Member and chairman of the competitiveness advisory board, said: “Black Country LEP have backed the 2021 Commonwealth Games bid along with their West Midlands colleagues recognising both the economic and inspirational benefits that hosting such a prestigious event will bring to our region.
"The Games will provide a golden opportunity for our local athletes to compete on home ground and raise the aspirations of our residents and businesses to be part of an international event.
“The planned Aquatic Centre at Sandwell, which will include a competition sized swimming pool will provide a sporting and economic legacy for the Black Country as well as the West Midlands.
"We are all looking forward to a successful conclusion to the bidding process with a West Midlands win so we can begin the planning process in earnest and maximise the opportunities that such an event will bring both for our residents and businesses.”
Meanwhile superstar swimmer Ellie Simmonds OBE, who is a five-time Paralympic Champion from Aldridge, said she was delighted with the plans for the pool.
“It is great news that the West Midlands will finally be getting a world-class competition standard swimming pool," she said.
"When I was a youngster progressing up the rankings I had to move from Walsall to Wales in order to find facilities of the standard I needed to train.
“The Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games and the Sandwell Aquatics Centre will inspire the next generation of swimmers as well as encourage the local community to enjoy swimming and diving and learn a valuable life skill.
“I am so excited about the possibility of the Commonwealth Games coming to Birmingham and urge everyone to back the Birmingham Bid.”
