Water is flowing back into the Glenorchy War Memorial Pool for the first time in more than two years as it edges closer to reopening.
Mayor Sue Hickey told a council meeting on Monday that crews had begun filling the pool that day, marking one of the final milestones before it reopens on October 1.
The pool, in Hobart’s northern suburbs, closed in July 2023 after inspectors found electrical faults, structural problems and a shell leaking about 35,000 litres of water a day.
It was Hobart’s last outdoor public swimming pool.
Council crews are now working through the final touches, with landscaping underway, a mural by a local artist going up on the pool building and a new accessibility pod to be installed in the coming weeks.
A new barbecue area, fresh signage and lane painting are also part of the final push.
The pool came close to shutting for good.
Former mayor Bec Thomas warned in 2023 that the facility could close permanently, saying the business case was “not particularly strong” and fewer than 100 people used it each day on average.
A community campaign followed, with more than 89% of voters backing the pool’s reopening in a 2024 elector poll.
The state government committed $5 million to the repairs, with the council contributing another $1.5 million, taking the project to about $6.5 million.
The work is expected to extend the pool’s life by five to seven years.
The council is still lobbying for more than $80 million to build a full modern aquatic centre.
To mark the reopening, 25 people will get the chance to be first in the water at a ‘First Splash’ event at 6am on October 1.
The one-hour session will give winners a chance to swim and try the new facilities before the pool opens to the public.
Entries are free and close at 11:59pm on September 15, with winners to be drawn at random and notified by September 22.
The pool will then offer free entry on the weekend of October 3 and 4, including a community pool party on the Saturday from 10am to 2pm.
