A new $68m pool opened in the Wellington suburb of Naenae on Wednesday, five years after the previous pool was closed over seismic concerns.
The rebuilt Naenae Olympic Pool Te Ngaengae Pool + Fitness contains a 50m Olympic pool, a second leisure pool, two hydro slides, and a fitness centre.
"The closure of the old pool in 2019 hit the Naenae community hard," Hutt City Mayor Campbell Barry said.
"The pool was an important part of the city and regional aquatic network, but more importantly it was the beating heart of Naenae - a gathering place, a place that supported community wellbeing and welcomed visitors."
Hutt City mayor Campbell Barry speaks at the opening of Te Ngaengae Pool and Fitness Tā i te Kawa. Photo: Supplied / Hutt City Council / Elias Rodriguez
At a cost of $68 million, the facility is one of Lower Hutt's most significant infrastructure projects.
Central government contributed $27m through a partnership with Crown Infrastructure Partners via the government's Infrastructure Reference Group Fund.
The new facility recycled and reused 80 percent of the demolition material from the old pool, which saved more than 13,000 tonnes of scrap metal and concrete from going to landfill.
It was awarded a 5 Green Star rating for its environmentally sustainable design by the New Zealand Green Building Council.
"Te Ngaengae Pool and Fitness is a state-of-the-art, environmentally-friendly facility. I'm delighted that we have been able to deliver the pool on time and under budget. This incredible new space is a sign of what we can achieve when Council and community work together. I'm really excited about what this means for the future of the Naenae community," Barry said.
Hundreds attended the opening of Te Ngaengae Pool and Fitness. Photo: Supplied / Hutt City Council / Elias Rodriguez
Hundreds attended a dawn ceremony on Wednesday to open Te Ngaengae.
A specially written waiata ā-ringa, recalling the history of Naenae, was performed by hundreds of local school students who had been rehearsing for the past three years.
Other attendees included Labour Party leader Chris Hipkins, Infrastructure Minister Chris Bishop and Community Advisory Group Chair Lyn Bareta.
