After eight months of work, Wauchope pool will open its doors at 6am tomorrow, Friday January 20.

Pool supervisor, Kylie Salm says lots of people are eagerly waiting the re-opening.

“Come on down. Bring a picnic basket and your lunch. Use our facilities.  It’s going to be great, especially for people with prams and wheelchairs,” she said.

The pool, the concourse and the kiddies pool have been fully refurbished during the upgrade.

And there was a full rebuild of the filtration system.

Site supervisor Steve Borg from Beau Corp Aquatics and Construction says it includes the state-of-the-art Nepture Benson filtration system.

“It filters down to one micron, which is lower than bacteria size,” he said.

The higher the level of filtration, the better quality the water. The new system can turn the entire pool over in a matter of hours – that 1.6 million litres.

They’ve also installed two heat pumps, which can enable swimming nearly all year round, though it looks as if the council will adopt a ‘wait-and-see’ approach to that.

Steve thinks the updated pool is a boon for local residents.

“It’s a really good facility. It’s a worthwhile expenditure.”

The contractors will train all staff in the new filtration system and pool operations. 

“We’re here to babysit the pool for the opening and the first week,” said Steve.

The diving board is still being refurbished and the council hopes to get government funding for a grandstand and a children’s water play area.

Pool campaigner, Di Gilbert is relieved that it’s opening at last.

“Its closure has had a big impact on the community, and I thank people for their patience.  I’m looking forward to using the pool and having improved access for everyone,”  she said.

The pool will be open Monday to Friday, 6am to 7pm, Saturday 8am to 6pm and Sunday 10am to 6pm.