SUPPORTING HOME GROWN TALENT - The North East of Scotland has produced some of Scotland's top swimming athletes including three Olympic swimmers, four Commonwealth swimmers, five swimmers in the Scottish Institute of Sport and two of the three Scottish coaches from the most recent Commonwealth Games. It is important to support and enable our local elite swimmers to train at home without the need to travel to Stirling and beyond to access the required 50m pool in order to prepare for national and international competitions.
DEVELOPING ACTIVE COMMUNITIES - The new Aquatics Centre will serve as far more than an elite swimmers' performance facility. It will provide the opportunity for extensive community use through a variety of activity programmes for all.
INVESTING IN SPORT - There are obvious economic benefits in winning bids to host or participate in national and international level sporting events which in turn will also boost local tourism and the profile of Aberdeen and the surrounding region.
DEVELOPING ABERDEEN - Importantly, investing in these facilities allows us to strengthen the national and international profile of Aberdeen City and Shire as a prosperous, cosmopolitan region with an international population and spectacular architecture, history and culture as well as the ability to produce some of the country's top athletes.
This £22 million development is the next stage of the Aberdeen Sports Village.
The Aquatics Centre will be one of the best in Europe with state of the art features making this a truly world-class facility.
The 50m pool will provide the opportunity for Aberdeen to host national and international competitions and to play a full role in the 2014 Commonwealth Games as well as other future events. It will provide long-course training opportunities for elite swimmers who currently have no facilities north of Stirling.
However, the new Aquatics Centre will serve as far more than simply an elite swimmers' performance facility. With the provision of a 'dividing boom' the main pool can be separated into two distinct areas, allowing lessons in one pool with, for example, aqua aerobics in the other, providing a magnificent community facility that will encourage participation in water-based activities by all ages and abilities.
The diving pool will have a 'floating' floor to allow beginners and other users of restricted ability to participate, as well as providing the opportunity for extensive community use through programmes of activities including school swimming sessions, learn to swim sessions and keep fit.
Facilities include:
- 50m, 10 lane training and competition pool
- Dividing boom allowing the pool to be split into two separate areas
- 25m diving pool with springboards and diving platforms utilising the latest technology in cushioning systems
- Floating floor technology in the whole of the diving pool and a quarter of the 50m pool
- Competitor seating and spectator seating for 600
- Complete timing, video analysis lab
- Land conditioning area
- Health suite
The University has committed to contribute a total of £8m to the development, with £2m still required to help fund a wide variety of areas within the Aquatics Centre.
We are currently seeking funding for two specific areas which would further enhance the facility:-
Video Camera Analysis System - A state of the art video analysis system, incorporating multiple, fixed, under and above water cameras which will provide invaluable and seamless playback of technique from the moment a swimmer leaves the blocks. Perfecting swimming technique is crucial to elite and competitive swimmers, and this system would provide a huge advantage in developing form. No other facility in the UK is equipped with such a system. This system has to be installed before the project is completed, and will cost a further £100,000.
Video Scoreboards - The addition of state of the art video scoreboards in both pools would greatly enhance the spectator experience, providing the flexibility to innovatively connect and engage with users and spectators of all ages. The ability to screen video replays will help to build a buzzing atmosphere on event days. While we have planned for standard scoreboards, the addition of the video scoreboards will cost a further £50,000.
Every gift brings us closer to completion and there are a number of areas which you can support specifically, including a range of naming opportunities; alternatively you can make a gift to the Aquatics Centre fund to be used where the need is greatest.
To find out more about the various opportunities or to discuss donating to the Aquatics Centre, please contact Michael Hodgson at m.hodgson@abdn.ac.uk or on +44(0)1224 273057.
