IT IS a simple question – and the answer is exactly what workmen have done as part of a £13.7million upgrade of the Tollcross International Swimming Centre in Glasgow.

Workmen have poured two million litres of water (almost 400,000 gallons) into a new training pool at the centre, which will be a major venue when the city hosts the 2014 Commonwealth Games.

That is an awful lot of water and is the equivalent of 4.2m pints of beer. If it was petrol, you could fill to the brim a fleet of more than 40,000 family-sized cars.

But that is how much was needed to fill the six-lane, 50-metre pool, which will be used by competitors to warm up before they take to the main pool in their quest for glory and medals.

It was built by Barr Construction as part of a contract to redevelop the East End complex before being used by up to 375 swimmers from around the world who will take the plunge in the hope of winning a gold medal.

The Evening Times was given exclusive access to the venue as it was put through a series of checks.

Unit manager Bill Williamson said: "This is a showcase project for Barr and for Glasgow and testing the 50m warm-up pool signals a major construction milestone towards delivering this first-class sporting facility for the city.

"Filling the pool took five days because the water had to be added gradually. Given the size of the tank, it fills at a rate of about half a metre every 12 hours.

"Once the pool is filled, we allow the water to settle for 21 days. After this stabilisation period we conduct a seven-day test, minutely monitoring the water level every 24 hours."

The water will remain in the pool for another fortnight in case additional work needs to be done to prevent any possibility of leakage.

But there will be more to the new-look Tollcross International Swimming Centre than the pools.

Workmen are fitting more than 350 glass panels on a new first floor concourse that sits directly above the new training pool at the rear of the complex, where pre-cast concrete has been used to shape a seating deck to accommodate an extra 1000 spectators.

The fans will also get spectacular views of Tollcross Park.

But when the curtain comes down on the Games the seating will be removed and a new gym and conditioning suite will be built .

The council-owned complex will be another legacy for the people of Glasgow once the 44 events for male and female swimmers are over and the medals have all been won.

The changing areas include individual cubicles, family cubicles, group changing areas and an open changing area. There was one existing changing 'village' and Barr is putting in another.

The centre will be more than twice its size when the upgrade and expansion is completed by next spring.

Mr Williamson said: "We have made terrific progress – the team has worked exceptionally hard and the project is on schedule.

"We are continuing to work closely with Glasgow City Council and its design team and look forward to delivering the new facilities by early 2013."

In the weeks and months ahead the pool will have a floating floor installed – a sieve-like platform that can be moved up or down to give different floor heights and water depths.

A traversable boom will also be fitted that will allow the pool to be halved to just 25m in length, so creating two pools.

For the people of Glasgow it will become a modern swimming centre, but to 2014 Games competitors it will be a theatre of dreams where they do battle for fame, glory and medals.

gordon.thomson@ eveningtimes.co.uk