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Local Youngster to make Waves with Swim Stars
Wednesday 9th July 2008
An 8 year old boy is preparing for the biggest day in his life after winning the right to swim at the opening of Durham’s new multi million pounds leisure complex
Michael Corner, a year 3 pupil at Shincliffe Primary School, was one of hundreds of children invited to enter an art competition. The prize was to take one of the 8 lanes at the public launch of Freeman's Quay next week.
Now Michael will take his place alongside former diving champion Charmian Welsh and 2012 Olympic hopeful Vicky Vallance. A total of 11 people with very special stories to tell will complete the 25m opening swim. The doors will then open to the public at 10am on Friday July 18th for the start of the swim for a shilling celebration week.
Freeman's Quay manager Kay Smith, ' I love Michael's picture about swimming. It looks like the whole family are having fun in the water. His attention to detail is brilliant, even the life guard has a whistle round his neck. Well done Michael.'
He might be only 8 but he's far from daunted by his important role in the opening in fact he says he'll have no problems waving to the crowd before he gets in, 'I was amazed when I won the competition but I'm really looking forward to swimming at the opening. It's exciting. I love swimming. I'd like to learn to do life saving.'
When you consider that art is Michael's favourite subject maybe it's not so surprising that he won. While he takes to the water on the 18th, his school friends won't be left out either. As part of his prize all 30 of his classmates will get to take a dip in the learner pool.
City Council staff are now on site receiving training on how to operate everything from floating floors in both pools to state of the art water filtration systems and the very latest electronic membership tracking systems.
Freeman's Quay boasts an 8lane 25 main pool and separate learner pool, both with floating floors. A state of the art 130 work station Lifestyle Fitness Centre, multi use sports hall, dance studio, tepidarium, healthy food court and cyber café area. The building project is on budget at £12.3m.