Southend Borough Council (SBC) has confirmed that it will keep the town's Warriors Swim Centre open until a new multi-million pound facility is completed at Garon Park.

A total of £150,000 has been earmarked by the council for repairs and maintenance at the existing facility until the new £10m swimming complex at Southend Leisure and Tennis Centre opens in 2010. The new facility will include a 25m, eight-lane competition pool with tier seating for 376 spectators, and a diving pool equipped with 3m (9.8ft), 5m (16.4ft), 7.5m (24.6ft) and 10m (32.8ft) platforms designed to enable synchronised diving, as well as two 1m (3.3ft) and two 3m (9.8ft) springboards.

Derek Jarvis, SBC executive councillor for culture, said: "This new pool will be a terrific bonus for the town, especially as Southend Leisure and Tennis Centre has been selected as a potential pre-Games training camp for the London 2012 Olympic Games." Image: Saville Jones Architects