The Teviot Valley will receive one of the best Christmas presents when its new community pool opens on December 17.

Chair of the Roxburgh Pool Punawai Ora committee Sally Feinerman told the Central App this week, it felt almost surreal to be finally at the opening stage after 16 years.

“It’s been a long journey to get to here.”

The learner’s pool was already starting to be filled with water and planning was well under way for the official opening.

Sally said a new pool was a huge deal for Roxburgh because it was important the community had somewhere for young people to learn how to swim.

“We have a pretty big river that runs past our township and it’s not a safe place for children to swim in.”

Keep calm and…. swim!

Coombes Aquatics and Breen Construction have been building the new 25m lane pool, learn to swim and toddlers pool, replacing the 89-year facility that was decommissioned on the same site.

New changing rooms, office space and a plant room have also been added to the long-awaited pool project.

The Roxburgh Pool committee has worked hard over the past 16 years navigating numerous finance, planning and design challenges to successfully fundraise the $2.7 million needed for the project.

She said one of the biggest challenges was actually getting the project off the ground, because they couldn’t go out to funders without a detailed set of drawings - but that was a big cost in itself.

Sally came onboard as the new chair several years ago when the original pool committee lead person moved to Dunedin.

“I came in with a fresh set of eyes and didn’t have swimming pool fatigue,” she said.

She thanked the hard working committee and made a special mention to the original two members Rick Kristel and Helen Pinder who had both given so much time to the project.

Listen to more here on The Outlet podcast.