SUMMER has gone and with it the Bridgetown swimming pool, which was built in the late 1960s and has stood the test of time.
Thousands learnt to swim, families have enjoyed picnics on the grass, and the art of competition swimming and good sportsmanship has been taught by the Bridgetown Swimming Club.
On April 21, the pool was closed and the dismantling started.
Pool manager Graeme Pollett said it was a sad day in some ways.
"The pool has meant so much to so many people," he said.
"But I think the town will be very happy with the new Aquatic Recreational Pool when it is built.
"As one of our most prolific users, we asked Elizabeth Corrigan if she would like to swim the last lap and she immediately said yes.
"After her swim we had a barbecue on pool side where people had got all dressed up to mark the end of an era."
Over the next few months the heavy machinery moved in, ripping the tiled concrete pool out of the ground and carting it away.
Then came the rains and on a recent visit, Mr Pollett looked through the fence and said: "While I may have the title of pool manager, I feel more like the keeper of the dams."
Over the next 16 months work will progress on the pool, gradually changing the muddy quagmire into a new and beautiful aquatic recreation area, with a 25 metre competition standard pool, modern change rooms, a paddling pool for the little tots and a family fun pool area.
More shade is being supplied together with grassed areas suitable for family outings and picnics.
The tender submissions for the design and construct of project are currently being assessed.
The new Aquatic Recreation Centre will cost $4 million, of which the Community Sport and Recreational Facilities Fund will supply $1.25m.
The balance will be made up by $384,700 from the Country Local Government Fund, $655,300 transferred from the Land and Buildings Reserve, leaving $1.71m to be made up by a new loan for the shire.
The anticipated repayments on the loan over 30 years, with the current rate of interest of 3.67 per cent is $96,000 per annum.
One repayment will have to be factored into the 2014-15 budget ($48,000) which on its own equates to a rate increase of approximately 1.375 per cent.
From 2015-16 onwards the annual loan repayments would equate to an approximate 2.75 per cent rate increase, which would be on top of any other rate increase necessary to meet rising costs.
The new Aquatic Recreation Centre is expected to open for the start of the swimming season in November next year.
