Beyond Birmingham 2022: The Future of Aquatics in the West Midlands

Swim England’s new report, Beyond Birmingham 2022: The Future of Aquatics in the West Midlands, predicts a worrying future for swimming pools in the region.

The Commonwealth Games were a huge success, with Team England’s swimmers and athletes winning a total of 47 medals which will inspire future generations to emulate their heroes.

Yet, what if there aren’t enough pools for them to learn how to swim, join a local club and take the steps on the talent pathways which could potentially lead to them representing their country at a major international event?

The West Midlands is facing a shortage of facilities which could see that scenario sadly becoming a reality.

It has a current deficit of 15 pools – and this is forecast to rise to 93 by 2040.

Without adequate investment, there will be no lasting impact from a home Games.

Swim England is calling on the Government and local authorities to do everything in their power to prevent millions of people from accessing the activity they love and missing out on the chance to learn a vital life skill.

Decade of Decline

Beyond Birmingham follows on from Swim England’s Decade of Decline report published last year, which warned 2,000 swimming pools could be lost forever by 2030 unless the Government and local authorities took action to replace or refurbish ageing facilities. Click here for more information.