Wanaka's new swimming pool is open for business - all 636,000 litres of it.
At a function yesterday morning, recently retired professional triathlete Nicky Samuels had the honour of cutting the ribbon, alongside Queenstown Lakes District Council deputy mayor Calum MacLeod.
The $12.28million pool, built by Cook Brothers Construction next to the Wanaka Recreation Centre in the Three Parks subdivision, includes a 25m six-lane lap pool, a learners’ pool, a shallow pool for young children and a spa.
The once-contentious issues of the location of the pool and the cost were matters consigned to history by about 150 people attending the opening ceremony.
Asked if the pool should have been 25m longer, as was suggested by some during the consultation phase, Cr MacLeod told the Otago Daily Times it was a matter of providing a facility for the bulk of swimmers.
"Making it a 50m pool would more than doubled the cost and in terms of what you gain for that, is it hugely necessary?
"The difference between a 50m and a 25m pool is one tumble turn.
"So all you do is, you get to practise your tumble turns."
A select group of 10 swimmers was given first dibs on a dip in the main pool before the complex opened to the general public.
Observers noted, that unlike the old pool in Plantation Rd, the new pool lacked a strong smell of chlorine.
