On your marks, set, go…

The St Ann's swimming and sports complex is the first of four complexes being built in the next few years, after Rotherham Council secured 35 million of private finance grants.

Coun Gerald Smith, cabinet member for environmental development, said: "The construction work heralds the start of an exciting era of leisure provision for Rotherham.

"These four new facilities will be some of the best in the country and soon be enjoyed by thousands of people, as well as helping to improve lives and well-being."

Councillors Georgina Boyes and Iain St John were today due to cut the first sod at the St Ann's site.

Facilities at the complex will include several pools, an indoor climbing tower, sports hall, squash courts, fitness suite and a dance studio.

Swimmers will have the choice of a leisure pool, a separate 70-metre flume, a six-lane 25-metre main pool – which will have a movable floor – plus a 12-metre teaching pool.

The four squash courts will have two movable walls to allow the courts to be combined into larger spaces suitable for other activities, such as aerobics, while a fitness suite will have a separate 127 square metre dance studio. The climbing centre offers a challenging 12-metre wall.

Contractors Willmott Dixon are expected to complete the building by November, 2008.

Two more new centres Aston and Wath are due to welcome their first visitors in September and December 2008, while a third development, at Maltby, is opening in 2009.