The new £13.5 million ($21 million) Southend Swimming and Diving Centre will provide swimming facilities for the whole community.
The facility features the UK’s first pre-cast dive tower structure, the 25m, eight-lane swimming pool and dive centre. The diving pool has fixed platforms at 1m, 3m, 5m, 7.5m and 10m, two springboards at 1m and a further springboard at 3m with water agitation and air cushion system. The diving pool also features a moveable floor to enable swimming lessons and exercise classes to take place.
Other features include a fun pool with water features and a beach-style gradient allowing children to walk from the poolside into the water. Outside the pool, there is a dry diving training area with a harness and trampolines and 374 tiered seats for spectators, including 22 wheelchair spaces for visitors.
Designed by Archial, the centre was constructed by main contractor ISG and will be managed by Parkwood Community Leisure on behalf of Southend-on-Sea Borough Council.
British Swimming has already announced its intention to use the new pool as a training base for the British Olympic diving team prior to the London 2012 Olympic Games.
