In July the Clutha District Council gave the community five months to raise the money needed for a therapeutic pool and bulkhead. A fundraising drive to pay for the additions was created under the direction of fundraiser Results Consulting working with Project Clutha and the Clutha United Swim Club.
Project Clutha chairwoman Donna Carline said the response had been wonderful.
"The project is definitely going ahead and we hope Clutha residents will utilise the pool to its full potential."
Almost $170,000 was budgeted for the project, a figure which was met by a lottery grant for the therapeutic pool. The bulkhead and other additional upgrades were funded by the Otago Community Trust, The Trusts Community Foundation, Alexander McMillan, smaller trusts, and donations from the general public.
Contractors would be providing an updated cost in the next few weeks.
Miss Carline said that that the community had been without a therapeutic pool since the late 1990s when the Balclutha Hospital, which housed the pool, closed.
It had been a popular facility and being able to add this to the existing pool area would provide an extra option for those needing warmer temperatures than a standard lap pool, she said.
The bulkhead would bring the pool into line with most pools around New Zealand by allowing the existing 33m pool to be split into a standard competition length 25m lap pool and smaller family pool. This would also allow multiple uses during the same session, offering more options for swimmers.
The therapeutic pool and bulkhead would be included in the council's upgrade of the Balclutha Centennial Pool which is under way.
The upgrade is slightly behind schedule and the Balclutha Centennial Pool is due to reopen in March next year.
