PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla. — Swimming is a lifelong pursuit for one man at the Palm Beach Gardens Aquatic Complex.
"I learned to swim when I was eight. I'm 60. I swim every day, mile and a half to two," he said.
Lap swimmers in Palm Beach Gardens were looking for places to exercise when the lap pool was closed for renovations. Monday was the day when everyone could finally dip their toes back in the water.
"We came here yesterday, and we learned we were the first ones to swim in the pool. We couldn't believe it," a swimmer said.
The lap pool at the Palm Beach Gardens Aquatic Complex went through a four-month renovation. Now, it is 25 yards with crystal clear water and perfect temps.
"We took it down to its base concrete. We removed the liner, replaced it with a wet edge product and then retiled, shored up some plumbing and redecked, added some shade elements and starting blocks," Daniel Prieto with the city of Palm Beach Gardens Parks and Recreation Department said.
Prieto said it cost the city a million dollars from the general fund for a very popular pool.
"Daily you have your early morning swimmers, you have your lap swimmers and then you have evening swimmers," he said. "We were also able to accommodate some local high schools around the area. Palm Beach Gardens uses our pool for its swim team."
The lap pool is one piece of a larger project encompassing a new splash pool, main pool, and a new aquatic complex building.
It's clear folks are happy about the results.
"This is the nicest pool we swam in all of Florida," a swimmer said.