The massive free celebration featuring light projections, pyrotechnics and outdoor theatre and dance will take place on April 17, the day before the opening to the public of the city's new Aquatic Centre, developed by Sunderland City Council next to the Stadium of Light.

Said Sunderland City Council Leader, Cllr Bob Symonds: “Sunderland Aquatic Centre will be simply the best facility of its kind in the UK. It’s a massive coup for the region and the country, but most of all for the people of Sunderland – so we wanted to make sure we celebrate the opening to the public in spectacular style with the people who will be using it most.

"For as well as having the facilities for the young Olympians of the future the Aquatic Centre is also very much a community facility and somewhere where families can take their children to have fun, So it will be very much a family event at Stadium Park on April 17th and every day thereafter."

As the only 50 metre pool between Leeds and Edinburgh and the most environmentally friendly pool in the country, the Sunderland Aquatic Centre is a first for Sunderland and the wider region.

The early evening outdoor spectacular, which will take place on April 17 the night before the Aquatic Centre opens its doors to the public, is expected to attract thousands of people from across the region.

The event is part of North East England's world-class festivals and events programme, managed by Culture10, based at Newcastle Gateshead Initiative. It is funded by ONE North East and Tyne Wear Partnership with additional funding coming from Sunderland City Council.

Stella Hall, Creative Director of NewcastleGateshead Initiative, said: "The opening of the region's first 50 metre pool is a real cause for celebration. The event to mark its opening will be a truly visual spectacular that will not just build excitement for this important new centre here in North East England, but also show the rest of the UK that we are a region of sporting excellence. We are proud that it is part of our world-class festivals and events programme for 2008."

Magnetic Events, the company chosen to organise the event working alongside Sunderland City Council and Culture 10, has an enviable track record for producing outdoor events and for the launch is working with ETC UK whose large architectural projections were used recently at the grand opening of the new Eurostar terminal at St Pancras and the Queen's Golden Jubilee celebrations at Buckingham Palace.

The rich visual spectacular being planned for the launch of the Sunderland Aquatic Centre promises to be even more impressive, with the building itself becoming the stage for an event which will feature outdoor theatre and specially choreographed dance performances.

The event will also feature imaginative special effects with aerial and groundwork pyrotechnics and large scale projected images reflecting both the city's connections with water and its influence on the world which will wrap and envelope the building.

Said Robin Morley, Director of Magnetic Events: "Magnetic Events are delighted to have been selected. We are now working to turn the Sunderland Aquatic Centre building into a huge outdoor stage on which larger than life figures and images will appear accompanied by music and special effects to create an evening to remember. As a free family event the show will be seen by a crowd of many thousands to launch this fantastic new aquatic centre."

The day after the April 17 launch, people will be able to try out the fantastic facilities for themselves when the Sunderland Aquatic Centre opens its doors to the public.

Built to bring world class swimming and wellness facilities to the people of Sunderland and the wider region, the innovative design of the building is such that it can accommodate everything from family fun sessions with huge inflatables to future Olympic champions.

With moveable floors which make it equally adaptable for toddlers learning to swim as elite swimmers, the clever design of the 50 metre pool and adjacent 25 metre diving pool is such that both pools can also be divided up to accommodate a wide range of different activities at any one time.

The Sunderland Aquatic Centre is the first in a new generation of pools being built in the city. It will also be the region’s first 50 metre pool and the only one between Leeds and Edinburgh.

The Sunderland Aquatic Centre is not only the greenest pool in the country - the first to filter and recycle every single drop of rainwater which falls on its roof - but also one of the most accessible for those with a disability.

The building has also been earmarked as a potential training base for the 2012 Olympics with an announcement due this Spring as to whether it has been successful in its bid.

Designed by Red Box Architecture and built by Balfour Beatty Construction Ltd, the Aquatic Centre incorporates a main 50m pool with 10 lanes and a 25 metre multipurpose diving pool, both with moveable floors so they can accommodate a variety of different activities and skill levels at the same time and a Sunderland Wellness Centre.

The Sunderland Aquatic Centre has been funded by Sunderland City Council, Sport England, European Regional Development Fund, One North East, Tyne and Wear Partnership, Sunderland Arc and Neighbourhood Renewal Fund.

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last updated 25/03/08