Eleven years of work on Northland's first 50m swimming pool inspired an emotional response from Vern Stevens when it opened in Dargaville yesterday. "It's bloody awesome," the Kauri Coast Community Trust chairman said as he watched swimming teacher Janet Froggatt cover the first length. Solar panels will back up a heat pumpto keep the pool at 25-26C, while the hydrotherapy/learners' pool will operate at 32-34C and a spray fountain is being developed. The pool is expected to be open to the public by the New Year with four lifeguards on duty at all times. Admission is $3 for children and $5 for adults. The pool construction project has been contentious since it was approved a year ago. Its $6 million price tag, Kaipara District Council processes and cultural concerns all caused controversy. After the sounding of a conch and the playing of a putaratara (bull roarer) and purerehu (flute), Te Parawhau rangatira Te Ihi Tito led a dawn blessing designed to sweep the place clean of any troubled spirits before the Selwyn Park pool was officially opened by Sport Minister Murray McCully, who grew up in Dargaville. Kaipara deputy mayor Cr Richard Alspach said the community should feel proud of the pool and enjoy using it. "Kaipara is smaller than its neighbours, but smaller does not mean lesser. We should aspire to finding ways to fund and build great facilities like this," he said. Mr Stevens' long service bringing the new pool to reality included five years as the community trust's chairman. In 1998, with Dargaville's 90-year-old municipal pool close to the end of its life, he was a member of a Splash 2000 committee which attempted to build a 25m covered pool, but the project foundered with funding problems. Mr Stevens thanked all those responsible for the success of the new project, including major funders the Kaipara District Council, Lotteries Commission, Northland Regional Council and ECCA. Following the lap of honour by Mrs Froggatt, Northland's 2008/09 senior and junior swimmers of the year, Carla Marsh and Melita Raravula, were joined by a previous swimmer of the year, Mark Cooper, to swim a length of honour. The pool's first swimming carnival has been booked for January 9. Trevor Bruce, who has more than 20 years' experience in pool administration, has been appointed pool manager and a five-member committee headed by Gordon Lambeth has been established to govern the pool.
