The ManchesterAquatics Centre, abbreviated MAC, is a public aquatics sports facility south of the city centre of Manchester, England, north of the main buildings of the University of Manchester near Manchester Metropolitan University. It was purpose built for the 2002 Commonwealth Games, and cost £32 million to build. Before it was built, for many years its site was open waste ground, left by demolishing inner city industrial terrace houses. The building was designed by FaulknerBrowns Architects. The building takes the approximate shape of an asymmetric trapezoidal prism, and from the outside, the roof resembles a wave. Construction started in August 1996, and was completed in July 2000, with finishing touches made in September 2001. MAC hosts many swimming and water polo events but also hosts Lancashire County Championships and Age group North west Regionals for swimming. It was opened on 12 October 2000, by Queen Elizabeth II.
Facilities
The centre's facilities include:
Two 50 m swimming pools, each able to be split into sections of varying dimensions and depths with the help of moveable floors and booms. In fact, the centre has the world's largest area of movable floors and booms in a swimming facility.
*The "main pool" on the ground floor is 50 m by 20 m with a maximum depth of 2 m. A sinkable boom can separate the pool into a 23 m by 21 m with constant depth between floor level and 2 m depth; and a 25 m by 21 m section at 2 m depth, which in turn can be separated by another sinkable boom to allow a section of 10 m by 21 m. The floors of these 3 sections can each be independently raised or lowered between very shallow and depth. 1,000 permanent spectator seats overlook the main pool hall.
*The "training pool" is located in the basement and is 16 m by 50 m in size, with a constant depth of 1.8 m. A traversable boom allows separation into two 25 m length pools, one of which can be varied in depth from floor level to 1.8 m. The training pool's ceiling is in the shape of two long waves representing waves on water.
A 25 m diving pool with movable floor to allow a maximum depth of 5.1 m. The pool is often also used for water polo, and scuba diving training.
A "leisure pool" – a shallow water area suitable for younger pool users, with two water flumes and two bubble pools.
