THE first swimmers took the plunge in the new pool at the £4.2-million Okehampton Parklands Centre, on Saturday when the stunning new facility was unveiled to an excited public.

Young members of Okehampton Otters Swimming and Life Saving Club were given the honour of being first to take a dip in the four-lane, 25-metre pool.

Okehampton youngsters Sophie Friend, 10, and Matthew Doidge, 9, both pupils at the town?s primary school, cut the ribbon to mark the opening of the centre.

The centre in Simmons Park also houses a multi-purpose sports hall, 35-station fitness suite and an aerobics studio.

The long-awaited centre was finally opened on Saturday morning, four months later than originally scheduled.

A large crowd gathered for the occasion, and many were able to take advantage of the opportunity to use the pool free of charge during the opening weekend ? the borough council estimates that 4,000 people visited the centre over the weekend.

Mayor of West Devon Cllr Christine Grills said: ?We felt an opening by representatives of the community would be a good way to start the life of this new building. Our communities are the backbone of West Devon and we are extremely proud of them.?

Cllr Grills said it was appropriate that young people were involved in the opening as it was important for youngsters to have somewhere to swim and keep fit and healthy.

She paid tribute to the hard work and determination of everybody who helped to drive the project forward: ?This is a true partnership project. The building is a testament to all who have been involved.?

Mayor of Okehampton Cllr Tony Leech said: ?It is a wonderful asset for the whole community and we hope it will be used by the whole community.?

Cllr Leech also paid tribute to the hard work of David Inman, director of community and services for the borough, in achieving the scheme.

?If it was not for David Inman and his team, it really would not have happened, we should give him our personal thanks,? he said.

Demolition work has begun on the old swimming pool in Simmons Park and is expected to be completed within a week.

Okehampton?s county councillor Christine Marsh said many years of hard work had been involved at county level, in putting together the funding package for the new pool.

?The old pool, which was built by public subscription, had lasted us very well, but you have to move on,? she said.

Arrangements have been made to allow students from the adjoining Okehampton College to use the sports hall during school hours, which should prove a huge bonus for the college.

John Burnett, MP for West Devon and Torridge, welcomed the new facility, but said everything must be done to ensure the centre was socially inclusive, especially for the young.

He said: ?I was delighted to be at the opening of the centre, but I was disappointed to hear that the rates being charged for the college to use the centre are extremely high.

?I had a series of meetings with Sports Lottery officers to help secure the cash for the project and one of the main plusses in the argument in favour of Okehampton was its proximity to the college and the future use of the sports facilities by the college.

?I and many others would be extremely concerned if the rates being charged to the college were such that it could not afford to make full use of all the marvellous facilities.?

A spokesperson for West Devon Borough Council said the pricing structure had been set in consultation with the steering group and operators Leisure Connections.

The centre may be completed, but work is continuing on four tennis courts outside the complex which are due to be completed next Easter.

Staff at the centre were on hand to sign up new members throughout Saturday, with half a dozen people signing up within the first-hour alone. By the end of the weekend, the centre had 400 registered members.

The council says eight new positions have beencreated at the sports centre, with more to follow in the coming months.

Parklands is the largest project ever undertaken by West Devon Borough Council and has been partially financed by a £3.2-million grant from the Sports Lottery.

Also providing funding towards the project are West Devon Borough Council, Okehampton Town Council, Devon County Council, Okehampton College, the Mid Devon Primary Care Trust, OCRA and the local tennis and swimming clubs.