Picture: MOLLY TAYLOR
THOUSANDS of Limestone Coast residents will take the plunge once again with the Mount Gambier Aquatic Centre reopened on Monday.
Established nearly 50 years ago, the centre has grown to be one of Mount Gambier’s key leisure assets.
“We have expanded our swim school from 170 swimmers a few years ago to now over 1100 and this is just those that attend after school hours,” Mount Gambier Aquatic Centre manager Peter Collins said.
“The dedication we get from residents is amazing, with regular visitors from Lucindale and over 60 from Millicent and Penola.
“We have had such a wide-reaching effect and it is great to see people from young to old getting involved.”
With new aqua-aerobic classes, the centre has welcomed many new faces as the facility becomes a regular social meeting point.
“We see a lot of social interaction within our classes, especially with retirees,” Mr Collins said.
“Around 60 people attend each class and the uproar of chatter is quite warming.
“The exercise increases the health of anyone involved, improving people’s cardiovascular fitness, while also enjoying themselves.”
Ranging from athletes to infants, the centre welcomes people from all swimming backgrounds.
“Out of 400-500 day passes, at least 100 of these are lap swimmers and some others are those hopping into the water for their first time,” Mr Collins said.
“It is also great to see young ladies that are pregnant and can no longer run keeping themselves fit and healthy.
“Often higher levels of swimmers train here for competitions, such as the triathlon and swimming clubs, marking us as a real athletic avenue.”
Up to 4000 people visit the pools during school weeks, with regulars often drawn back.
“We often see university students who started here at the age of 15 return to get involved in the swim school,” Mr Collins said.
“It is great watching children grow and learn how to swim, but on the other end of the spectrum we have older people losing weight and getting fit.
“People use the pool to recover from injuries to get their knees and shoulders moving again.”
No matter the weather, visitors can expect consistent water conditions with the recently installed biomass heating system.
“The new boiler allows us to manipulate the temperatures quickly and certainly gets them a lot higher than what we originally could,” Mr Collins said.
“It would take four or five hours for the old boiler to warm up, but now you only have to click a button and it starts to work.
“People are able to burn off stress and calories without worrying the water will be too cold.”
The centre has expanded from three to around 60 staff members over the years, with aspirations for further employment opportunities.
“I took over this place 16 years ago and it has turned into such a lively and thriving community,” Mr Collins said.
“We have a lot of young people working here and I have the opportunity to watch them flourish into mature adults.
“The aquatic centre is a nice, safe environment and the staff look after everyone.”
With a warm summer ahead, the centre is open to all members of the public for a break from scorching afternoons.
