Commonwealth aquatics centre to reopen as community facility in August

Work to rebuild the aquatics centre includes the removal of the 4,000 spectator seats

The aquatics centre for the Birmingham Commonwealth Games is on track to reopen as a community venue in August.

The £73m building in Sandwell is being refitted to remove the spectator seating and replace it with sports halls, changing rooms and other facilities.

The leader of Sandwell Council, Kerrie Carmichael, said it would create a "lasting legacy" for the area.

"People can't wait for it to open," she said.

Ms Carmichael, who watched a number of events there during the games, said: "It well and truly put Sandwell on the map."

Kerrie Carmichael said she was getting regular calls from excited residents

Since the games, workmen have removed 4,000 seats and are building two sports halls, an extra floor, dance studio, steam room and sauna and storage spaces.

The 50m pool has also been divided into three areas.

Tony Farnsworth, who is leading the work for the council said the original build had been hit by a series of issues, including Covid, Brexit and wet weather, but the rebuild had been "relatively smooth".

He said work was due to finish in mid-July, but no date had been set for the reopening yet.

The aquatics centre hosted 66 medal events - more than any other venue - in the July Games

Liz Wilkins ,from Sandwell Aquatics Club, has been allowed a look around the building, while the work continues and said it was now "more than just a swimming pool".

"It's still got the impression of being massive," she added.

She said it would be "so different" to the existing pools in the area and would allow swimmers who excel to remain in Sandwell, instead of having to find better facilities to train in.

"We'll produce Black Country athletes in the Black Country," she said.

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