LIVERPOOL’S new Olympic swimming pool will officially open its doors tomorrow.

Workers at Liverpool Aquatics Centre were busy putting the finishing touches to the £17m centre last night ahead of Saturday’s 9.30am opening.

A 90-station gym will also be open for tours.

Last night, officials said they were anticipating large queues from people to get their first glimpse of the eagerly awaited new centre in Wellington Road, Wavertree.

Last week, the Olympic-sized pool was unveiled as a training camp for some of the world’s best swimmers in the run up to the 2012 Olympic games.

The centre has three pools in one, with the main pool able to be divided in two, plus another 20 metre training pool.

It has a unique moveable floor which allows the depth to be varied and can even be raised above the water line for it to be used for dry sports such as aerobics.

Joe Twamley, complex manager, said: “We are putting the finishing touches and are expecting queues round the building.

“The local community have been without a pool since 2001, and we have seen this rise out of the ground.

“It’s an unbelievable environment with all the natural light. When I started here 12 years ago, we never saw the daylight because the old pool didn’t have any windows.

“There has been a lot of discussion about it, and I never thought I would see the day it opened, it’s fantastic.

“Where else could you go to swim where there are Olympic swimmers? You couldn’t go to Goodison Park or Anfield and play football.”

The new gym features Kinesis equipment which enables athletes to do any movement against resistance.

Exercise machines also feature personal TV screens which allow users to watch television or videos.

The centre will have a staff of around 40, with a team of 24 lifeguards.

Council leader Warren Bradley said: “This is a major new investment in community facilities, not just for local people and schoolchildren, but also our team of brilliant elite Commonwealth and Olympic swimmers.

“There has been a great deal of anticipation ahead of the opening and I know people will be queuing up to use the new pools and gym.”

davidbartlett