Commonwealth Games swimming pool opens to the public
A swimming complex built for Birmingham’s Commonwealth Games has opened for public use.
The only brand-new venue for the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games, The Sandwell Aquatics Centre in Smethwick will offer a range of sport and exercise facilities.
Sandwell Council’s delivery partner Wates successfully bid for and won the contract to build the facility in 2018, and construction started in 2019. Work continued throughout the Covid-19 pandemic and Brexit and the facility was completed ready for the Birmingham Commonwealth Games in summer 2022.
The final phase of transforming the venue from Games to legacy mode was completed this month and the finished building was handed over to Sandwell Council.
The £73m facility was officially by Paralympian Ellie Simmonds from Aldridge, Walsall.
Cllr Kerrie Carmichael, leader of Sandwell Council, said: “Sandwell Aquatics Centre was always designed as a community leisure facility first and tailored for use during the Commonwealth Games, rather than the other way around.
“The construction has helped create jobs for local people, local apprenticeships and work for local businesses, and delivering the centre has been a catalyst for significant investment in infrastructure projects in Sandwell.
“The centre – the best leisure facility in the UK at the current time – will be fantastic for Sandwell people as well as the region’s talented swimmers and divers. They will benefit from having a world-class facility on their doorstep for decades to come.”
Simmonds, trustee for United by 2022, the charity that is dedicated to ensuring the legacy of the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games maintains momentum, said: “United by 2022 is thrilled to see Sandwell Aquatics Centre ready to welcome local people. It’s a brilliant example of the long-term, positive impact that the Commonwealth Games continues to have for everyone in the region.
“I’d have loved a place like this when I was starting out. Whether you’re a budding medal winner or just need a great place to exercise, it’s an amazing facility.”
