NEIGHBOURS of the revamped New Cumnock Swimming Pool were invited to a special celebration.
They joined staff to mark the first anniversary of the refurbished facility’s reopening which has caused more than a ripple of interest among locals as well as visitors from further afield.
The pool has helped turn New Cumnock into a tourist destination which, by attracting hundreds of visitors from outwith East Ayrshire, has also provided an economic boost for the region
Since reopening a year ago, the refurbished pool has provided a modern setting for school swimming lessons, public sessions, and special events such as the sold-out Swim Under The Stars.
Just two years ago, the swimming pool faced an uncertain future and was threatened with closure until being rescued by Dumfries House Trust, a charity founded by the Duke of Rothesay.
Fast forward to 2018 and local families enjoyed a screening of smash-hit musical The Greatest Showman at New Cumnock Town Hall.
And, afterwards, there was an atmospheric late-night swim from 10pm until midnight at the complex.
Mary Clapperton, duty officer at the pool, said: “A fabulous evening was had by around 80 people who attended our first birthday midnight swim.
This consisted of the movie screening followed by a midnight aqua-dance with birthday cake and hot drinks.”
Staff at the pool are braced for a busy summer holiday season, having last year welcomed a record number of locals and tourists.
Some 4,500 came along in the period between mid-June, when refurbishment was completed, and December.
An action-packed timetable of pool activities, including aqua-fit and aqua-jogging classes, are run by a team from The Prince’s Foundation, based at nearby Dumfries House.
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