Mosgiel's new pool complex is now officially open, ready to make a big splash.
A ceremony at Te Puna o Whakaehu started at 9am today and the five-pool complex was open to the public for its first day operation from 10am.
At 9.30am, a group of people jumped in who had been in a pool together before - a much smaller one.
Their point a few years back was a small pool would not be cool, and this morning they immersed themselves in the main pool within a substantial facility.
A pool builders' wall was also unveiled, acknowledging community input that helped drive the facility to be completed.
Te Puna o Whakaehu consists of an eight-lane 25m lap pool, leisure pool, learn-to-swim pool, hydrotherapy and spa pools.
A feature of the facility is access ramps into each pool.
"I'm sure this is an amenity the community will be very proud of and enjoy for many years to come," he said.
Mr Radich said the complex was beautiful, functional, state of the art and would be used year-round.
"It looks stunning."
A mana whenua story unique to the area was weaved into the project, he said.
Mr Radich paid tribute to the Taieri Community Facilities Trust for its advocacy of the project and community fundraising, which topped $4 million.
It had taken a tireless effort from trust chairwoman Irene Mosley and her team, he said.
Mr Radich also acknowledged the contribution of former trust chairman the late Michael Stedman.
The balance of the $19.2 million project came from the Dunedin City Council.
"I'm thrilled the Dunedin City Council has made this significant investment," Mr Radich said.
Mrs Mosley said she was delighted the pool had become a physical reality, having spent a lot of time dealing with paperwork.
Her reaction to seeing the complex was "wow, it's heaps bigger than an A4 piece of paper".
She was among the swimmers who tested the facility in the lead-up to the opening, taking a dip two weeks ago.
The campaign for a new pool complex goes back to about 2008 and the new facility replaces one that had been open for seven months a year. It closed in 2021.
Mrs Mosley said the campaign began for the pool with sausage sizzles and many people had contributed since.
A Taieri College kapa haka group performed a waiata and haka at the opening and the Mosgiel Brass Band played.
The complex was built by Cook Brothers Construction.
