AN average of 1000 people a day visited the new Nowra Aquatic Park over the long weekend.

The  $8.4 million pool complex was opened to the public for the first time on Saturday.

Shoalhaven City Council aquatics manager Kevin Norwood said the response was overwhelming and attendance numbers exceeded expectations.

“It was brilliant to see so many people make use of the new complex,” he said.

“The new aquatic park and the staff all coped well with the crowds.

“The opening went as expected. We have a state of the art facility built to operate and cope with these sorts of numbers.

“It handled everything very well.”

To put the figures into perspective, Mr Norwood said on a hot day, the previous pool might entice 200 to 300 people and sometimes 400 to 500 on a hot day during school holidays.

“This is a great start for the new complex,” he said.

“The feedback we received has been positive.

“Patrons were really impressed with the facilities, amenities and new cafe.

“When you consider we still have the new waterslides to come into operation, which we continue to aim for Christmas, I think we are going to break some attendance records down here.”

There are more improvements to come at the complex, with a whole suite of furniture, including deck chairs and shelters to be installed.

“It will have a real retro feel,” he said.

Save Nowra Pool campaigner Fiona Phillips lined up with her children to use the pool on Saturday morning and was one of the first patrons through the gates.

She said to see so many people take advantage of the new facility was fantastic.

“There were people everywhere,” she said.

“It was like a dream come true to finally have the new complex open.

“And yes I took a swim. It is superb.

“It was great just to be able to sit in the shallow end of the pool or on the grassed areas and hear so many positive comments about the complex.

“There were lots of battles to get this facility but seeing it finally open and the crowds at the weekend made it all worthwhile.

“It was hard to explain the emotions I felt.”

She said many people doubted and questioned the project but felt the weekend’s response from the community had justified the fight to keep the pool in its location.

“It was great to see the people who had worked hard on the project, like project manager Gary George and council’s aquatics manager Kevin Norwood and the staff and the joy in their eyes,” she said.

The pool will be officially opened on Saturday, October 17 at 10am.