Minister for Sport Inspects Progress at Sandwell Aquatics Centre

--Nigel Huddleston MP visited Sandwell Aquatics Centre to check on progress and lay the first of the 190,000 tiles which will be used at the Birmingham 2022 venue

--Construction started in early 2020 and incredible progress has been made on the centre which will host swimming, Para swimming and diving at the Commonwealth Games

--The centre is on budget and on schedule and is due to be completed in Spring 2022

08 June 2021: A significant milestone has been reached at the Sandwell Aquatics Centre, which is currently under construction in Smethwick, as the tiling of the main competition pool, which will be used for the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games, has now begun.

Nigel Huddleston MP, Minister for Sport and Tourism, and Ian Reid, Chief Executive of Birmingham 2022, made their first visit to the site since February last year, to inspect the impressive progress and to help work experience students from Sandwell College, and representatives from Sandwell Council, lay the first tiles.

Nigel Huddleston, Minister for Sport and Tourism said: "Fantastic progress has been made on the Sandwell Aquatics Centre since I was last here in February 2020. Not only will this amazing facility help put Sandwell on the map during Birmingham 2022, it will also become an outstanding new leisure centre for the community. It is a great example of how we are levelling up across the country, by investing money in new world-class facilities that leave a lasting legacy for local people."

The Sandwell Aquatics Centre will host the swimming and Para Swimming competition at the Commonwealth Games from 29 July to 3 August and the diving competition from 4 August to 8 August, meaning that the centre will be in use for all 11 days of competition.

Ian Reid, Chief Executive of Birmingham 2022 said: "It has been great to get back on site and the Sandwell Aquatics Centre is looking incredible. There has been so much progress in the last 12 months and the credit for that must go to Sandwell Council and its construction partner.

"You can now really get a sense of how the only new build venue for our event, the Sandwell Aquatics Centre, will look during the Games. This a key competition site for Birmingham 2022, as more medals will be decided here than at any other Games venue."

Students from Sandwell College are gaining work experience on the site and 19-year-old Kye Roseblade, who lives just a few miles from the aquatics centre and is studying for his level two Wall and Floor Tile Diploma, will be helping to lay the tiles in the pools.

Kye said: "It’s really exciting to work on the aquatics centre for the Commonwealth Games. We’ve got four weeks work experience laying tiles in the centre and I’m really enjoying working on such a big project."

The 10m dive tower at the centre was completed earlier in the year and recent work has included the completion of the building facades. The roof is nearing completion and curtain walling and glazing is well advanced. Internally, high-level works within the pool hall have been ongoing, including pool hall lighting, fire alarm cabling and ventilation and heating duct work.

As well as being a key facility for the Commonwealth Games, the Sandwell Aquatics Centre will also be one of the greatest legacies of Birmingham 2022, with the local community benefiting from having a brand-new, world-class facility on their doorstep.

The project is being overseen by Sandwell Council and its Leader, Councillor Rajbir Singh, said: "It was amazing seeing the new Sandwell Aquatics Centre and looking at the scale of the work being undertaken. The venue, which is located in Smethwick, is impressive and will not only serve as a host venue for the Games but will leave a lasting legacy for local residents and the wider region for generations to come.

"I am looking forward to seeing the venue completed and hosting the swimming and diving events for the Games in Smethwick."

The total cost of the centre, which is on schedule and on budget, is £73 million. Sandwell Council is contributing £27 million with £38.5 million coming from the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games budget. A further £7.6 million is funded by other external partners Sport England, Black Country LEP, Sandwell Leisure Trust (SLT) and University of Wolverhampton.

More information about the Sandwell Aquatics Centre and other venues for Birmingham 2022 is available at www.birmingham2022.com.

Contact Information

Sarah Dickson

sarah.dickson@birmingham2022.com

Notes to editors

Further Quote

Councillor Maria Crompton, deputy leader for Sandwell Council, said: "It was great visiting the new Sandwell Aquatics Centre to lay the first tile in the 50m competition pool for the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games. This is a pivotal milestone we have reached and demonstrates the amazing progress we have made on the venue since work began last year.

"Up to 190,000 tiles will be used throughout the venue which gives you a real sense of scale of just how big the swimming and diving pools are. At Sandwell, we are proud to be hosting the swimming and diving events for the Games and the venue looks fantastic and I cannot wait to see it completed and ready for the Games."

Background Information about the Sandwell Aquatics Centre

--190,000 tiles will be used at the centre altogether, with 41,500 in the competition pool, 32,500 in the dive pool, 10,000 in the studio pool and 67,000 in other areas of the facility. A further 39,000 tiles will be used when the centre is converted to a community leisure facility after the Games

--With 66 medal events in total set to be held at the facility, it will be the stage for more medal moments than any other Birmingham 2022 venue.

--The seating capacity for the Games will be approximately 5,000 seats (the leisure facility post Games will have 1,000 permanent seats)

--The project has helped to create jobs for local people and local apprentices. Local businesses have also benefitted by being part of the supply chain

--The state-of-the-art facility will include a 50m Olympic-sized swimming pool as well as a 25m diving pool and a community swimming pool - it will be a fantastic community leisure facility for years to come

About the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games

The Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games, which will be held from 28 July until 8 August 2022, will be a once in a lifetime opportunity to put the city, the region, and its people on the global stage.   

The Games is already proving to be a catalyst for transformation across the West Midlands, attracting new investment and funding, creating jobs and apprenticeships for local people and new opportunities for local businesses, as well as accelerating projects that will ensure the region is ready to host a fantastic sports and cultural celebration.   

Birmingham 2022 will be the Games for everyone, bringing people together from across Birmingham and the region, to provide a warm welcome to millions of visitors during the summer of 2022.

Find out more at www.birmingham2022.com     

For more information, please contact:

Birmingham 2022 - Sarah Dickson, 07494 671 802, sarah.dickson@birmingham2022.com

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