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Two swimming pools at a leisure centre will reopen this weekend after being closed for more than a year for a £7.5 million revamp.
The leisure pool and learner pool at the Stour Centre in Ashford will open on Saturday with new children's water play features.
The centre in Station Approach closed in the summer of 2020 following a controversial decision by Ashford Borough Council (ABC) to speed up the renovations.
It meant more than 100 members of staff were made redundant during the pandemic.
Some facilities such as the gym, the multi-level soft-play, and the interactive clip to climb, reopened a year later on June 1.
The main 25-metre pool followed in July.
Now, after 16 months closed, the new leisure and learner pools mark the end of the works with new water play features to accompany the existing flumes, the lazy river and waterfalls.
All the wall tiles have been replaced alongside the lining of the learner pool which has also had improvements to the lighting.
Ivan Horsfall Turner, managing director at Freedom Leisure, which operates the centre, said: “We are so pleased to be reopening the leisure pool and learner pool.
"We know that these swimming facilities in Ashford have been missed by people wanting to spend precious leisure time at the weekend with the family.”
Cllr Matthew Forest, portfolio holder for culture, tourism and leisure at ABC, said: “I’m so pleased to see the leisure pool facilities at the Stour Centre available for families and children to enjoy, and would like to thank everyone for their patience while the additional works took place.
“The council and Freedom Leisure are investing heavily in improving the leisure facilities on offer, not just here but across the borough, to meet a growing demand and ensure Ashford remains active.
"Alongside the main pool, new-look gym, fitness suite and other new additions to the centre, such as the popular clip to climb and soft play area, this means the Stour Centre has one of the best leisure offers in the county.”
The facility – which opened in 1975 – also underwent £17m renovations in the mid-2000s.
