THOMASVILLE, N.C. (WGHP) — The Thomasville Aquatics and Community Center held an open house on Thursday, letting local residents and families check out the new taxpayer-funded facility for the first time since the former aging pool was demolished.  

The one-year project revealed a giant pool with new lap lanes, a 16-foot slide, a splash pad and more water fun. 

It’s the only public pool in Thomasville and will also offer community rooms so people can hold events there. There are also meeting spaces and picnic tables available.

The city of Thomasville will keep prices low for families at $2 for children under 17 and $3 for people over 17. The pool formally opens May 27, and families say they’re excited. 

“I am really going to enjoy this summer. I can’t wait for it to open up because I will have all my little ones, and I will enjoy it myself,” said Bridgette Long, a Thomasville resident who says she learned to swim at the old Thomasville city pool.  

It was a fond memory other Thomasville residents shared. 

“It was a place where you could come as a kid, and you were safe. They had lifeguards on duty, and my mom could come and bring a load of kids, and we stayed all day,” said Renee Goins, another Thomasville resident who plans to bring her grandchildren all summer long.  

The aquatics center cost roughly $7 million and was paid for with property taxes which allocated two cents at first and then three cents to a recreation fund.

A third-party management company will run pool operations including lifeguard staffing.