FOUR years of work came to an end when premier Daniel Andrews officially opened the Ararat Outdoor Olympic Pool on Wednesday.
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Mr Andrews joined Save the Ararat Outdoor Pool committee member Ambrose Cashin to welcome 150 Ararat residents to the opening.
It was a day of celebration for the committee and Ararat community following the $1.5 million redevelopment of the pool, its kiosk and the changerooms.
Mr Cashin said it was a very proud day following all the work that had gone into the pool after many people said it could not be saved.
“It is something that we can be very proud of and rightly so,” he said.
“Some not only thought this could never be achieved, but some wanted to demolish this magnificent facility.
“I think once again the Ararat community has stepped up to the challenge because this pool was originally built a generation ago by the people with volunteer labour.”
The project was initially slated to cost $4 million before the committee rallied the Ararat community.
In-kind work and fundraising saw the costs reduce with the pool now ready for use when the next swimming season arrives.
Mr Andrews said the pool would be a good space for the community to meet with families and friends.
“Not to dwell on climate and drought and those challenges, but they are very real and affect all of us,” he said.
“Green space to get away from those challenges has never been more important.
“What you have created here I think is very important.”
The state government contributed $350,000 to upgrade the kiosk and changerooms at the outdoor pool.
The finished works mean the kiosk can be accessed from inside and outside the pool itself, providing the potential for year round operation.
Mr Andrews said it the pool had been reborn thanks to the community.
“To have a great facility, a precinct like this with great gardens and a fantastic kiosk that can be used all through the year, the quality of the pool, to be able to see that reborn with a really strong future, I think that is something to be very proud of,” he said.
“The strength of this and the difference is you have seen literally hundreds of local residents working for no pay at all, for thousands of hours, their in-kind contribution, their campaign, their leadership is what has turned this into a new facility.”
Mr Andrews was joined by Agriculture Minister Jaala Pulford and Environment, Climate Change and Water Minister Lisa Neville at the opening.
Member for Ripon Louise Staley was also there.
