As residents of the Riley Park community gathered to bid a final farewell last Friday morning to the old Percy Norman Pool on its final day, across the street park board staff celebrated the completion of the city’s largest aquatic centre.

Judy Andersen, supervisor of recreation services for Riley Park, said the day was bittersweet for some people. Some regulars to the pool had brought treats to share with other long-time users.

“They’re sad, but happy at the same time. That pool’s been open for a long time,” Anderson said of the Percy Norman, which opened in 1960.

Residents from across the city have a lot to be happy about when it comes to the new aquatic centre at Hillcrest Park, which is deemed a destination location for Vancouverites visitors. It opened to the public Saturday.

The main lap pool is 50-metres long, while the dive pool is 12.5-metres deep with two diving boards and diving platform at staggered heights above the water. The leisure pool is 384 square metres and includes an accessible beach entry, water sprays and curtains, jets and bubblers and a surprisingly fast “lazy river” feature. One section of the pool has a floor that can be lowered and heightened to control the water depth to accommodate children of different ages for lessons. The outdoor pool also includes water sprays and curtains, as well as a water cannon. White lounge chairs surround the outdoor pool and cover much of the deck, which is bounded by grass. Inside is a hot tub that can accommodate 70 people, as well as a sauna and steam room.

Peter Fox, aquatic supervisor for the park board, said the goal of the aquatic centre is to offer an experience worth repeating.

“We want people to enjoy their experience from the minute they walk in the front door,” he said. “We also want them to change their focus and get fit and learn how to swim while they’re here having fun.”

The 325-square metre fitness centre, which also opened to the public on the weekend, includes cardio equipment, pin loaded and free weights, accessible recumbent bikes and a stretching and exercise area. Its floor to ceiling windows are a huge improvement over the tiny, dark fitness room across the road at Riley Park.

The Percy Norman Pool and Riley Park Community Centre will be torn down using sustainable guidelines to minimize waste headed for the landfill. The replacement of the pool and community centre is a joint project between VANOC, the federal and provincial governments, the city and the park board. The Legacy Community Centre, which will also include a community centre, library and ice rink, is expected to be complete next year.

The park board has received several awards for the construction of the building, including the Globe Foundation and World Green Building Council Excellence for Green Building Award 2009, 2010 Consulting Engineers of B.C. Award of Merit for mechanical and electrical design, as well as the 2010 Award of Leadership in Good Wood Use, as the Olympic Centre, for use of Forest Stewardship Council certified wood.

General admission to the aquatic centre is $6.25 for adults, $3.10 for children and $4.40 for youth and seniors.

sthomas@vancourier.com