Roof raised at Sandwell Aquatics Centre ahead of 2022 Commonwealth Games
The new £73 million Sandwell Aquatics Centre is on track for completion next year – as it passed another milestone with the roof being installed.
The Smethwick-based centre is being built off Londonderry Lane to be used in the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games.
Work to prepare the site for construction started in July 2019, with main construction work starting in February last year.
It has continued without any major delays throughout the coronavirus pandemic and is on schedule to be completed by next spring. And bosses are confident that the 2022 games will go ahead as planned.
The last milestone which the centre reached was the completion of the dive tower, which took five weeks to build, took five people 2,000 hours to build.
Ian Reid, Birmingham 2022 chief executive, said: “This is another key milestone in the construction of the Sandwell Aquatics Centre, the only brand new venue for Birmingham 2022.
"The progress on this facility is clear for everyone to see and it is remarkable how much has been achieved in the space of 12 months."
The Sandwell Aquatics Centre will host the swimming and para swimming at the Commonwealth Games from July 29 to August 3, and the diving competition between August 4 and 8.
It will be the stage for more medal moments than any other Birmingham 2022 venue – with 66 medal events to be held at the facility in total.
The project is being overseen by Sandwell Council, which has contributed £27 million.
Team England has a great record of winning diving medals in the Commonwealth Games – with 31 golds, 22 silvers and 22 bronze medals.
The building will officially open for public use in May 2023.
The facility will include a 50m Olympic-sized swimming pool, as well as a 25m diving pool, community swimming pool and permanent seating for 1,000 people.
