National Sports Centre trustees yesterday hit back at the critics who have described the planned Aquatics Centre as not suitable for Bermuda.

Both Bermuda Amateur Swimming Association (BASA) and Bermuda Environmental Sustainability Taskforce (BEST) have complained that Government and trustees had ignored their advice, pointing out that the planned concrete-based facility was less efficient than the Myrtha pool they recommended.

But at yesterday's ground breaking of the Centre, attended by Premier Ewart Brown, Acting Minister of Environment and Sport Mr. Zane DeSilva and NSC Chairman Sean Tucker insisted that CannonDesign Architecture Inc. which will be responsible for construction of the facility, were among the best in the world.

And a number of reasons were put forward as to why the trustees had opted for this company.

A press statement released after the ground breaking noted that: "All components of this Aquatics Centre will be sanctioned by the international swimming governing body known as FINA and will be suitable for the competitive aquatic sports of swimming, diving, water polo and synchronised swimming . . .

"The facility is designed by CannonDesign Architecture Inc. which is no stranger to the National Sports Centre facility. CannonDesign is ranked among the leading international firms in planning and design for healthcare, science and technology, education, sports and recreation, commercial and government clients."

The same company, it added, had "extensive knowledge in the construction of aquatic facilities around the globe. Notably, CannonDesign participated in the following bid committees:

n Olympic Games Bid Committee 2008, Toronto, Canada

n Olympic Games Bid Committee 2010, London, UK

n Olympic Winter Games Bid Committee

n The Winter Games in PyeongChang, Korea.

n and the recently successful Pan American Games Bid Committee, Toronto, Ontario 2015.

"They recently completed the design of the renowned Richmond Olympic Oval in Vancouver for the 2010 Games and are now engaged for the design of the Oval in Sochi, Russia for the next Winter Games in 2014."

The statement continued: "The construction methodology of the swimming pool will consist of concrete that is made in Bermuda by local concrete suppliers and placed by Bermuda workers. Extensive research and comparisons have been conducted on the validity of concrete construction over steel panel construction and after careful assessment it was deemed by the Board (and also with the recommendation of one of the world's largest engineering companies, Stantec) that concrete construction was the best method for Bermuda."

Explaining why a concrete pool had been preferred over the Mythna pool, the statement added: "Myrtha pools are built out of steel panels that are bolted together that does not eliminate the need for concrete. In a steel panel system, the pool tank bottom and walls must be made of concrete that the steel panels are then affixed to the panels are coated to protect them from corroding.

"We all know that Bermuda has one of the most corrosive climates on the planet and in time these metal components and the steel will likely become vulnerable to the corrosive elements and eventually deteriorate, some more quickly than others.

"The Mytha brand steel panel tank is not less expensive to construct than a concrete pool. Myrtha's own literature states that its construction costs are comparable to that of concrete – in comparing the actual design proposed by the Board, the Myrtha pool in our budgeting in fact is more costly.

"The statement that a Myrtha pool is less expensive to operate than concrete is incorrect. Operating costs of a pool are independent of pool construction. Operating costs are based on the volume of water, the designed turnover rates and the filtration and disinfection systems employed – so pools with the same volume, turnover rates and operating systems will have the same operating costs."

According to the trustees the construction of the Aquatics Centre will cost in the region of $16 million which the Government has already provided funding for. It's expected the facility will be completed within "18 to 21 months."

Phase one of the Centre will consist of a 50-metre, eight-lane pool combined dive tank and dive platform. It will be the only 50 metre pool and dive tank on the Island. Changing facilities and restrooms will also be built.

Acting Minister of the Environment and Sports, Zane DeSilva noted: "Swimming in Bermuda has long been a popular sport and many of our young athletes today are reaching new heights in competitions around the world.

"This facility will help nurture the next generation of competitive swimmers and divers for which Bermuda has never had appropriate facilities. We will also look forward to the introduction of water polo and synchronized swimming.

"While there has been public debate on the pros and cons of different systems to build this facility, I have absolute faith in the men and women on the NSC Board of Trustees, acting on the advice of their consultants that the best possible solution is being built on this site."