A new multi-million pound sports facility has been officially opened.

The ribbon-cutting ceremony was held at Cozenton Park Sports Centre, formerly Splashes Leisure Centre, before welcoming the general public inside tomorrow (July 17).

The facility in Bloors Lane, Rainham, was already open to its premier members and has been offering guided tours for the past month but will now be available for everyone.

At the ceremonial opening, the leader of Medway Council, Cllr Vince Maple, said: “This fantastic facility will be rightfully enjoyed by thousands and thousands of residents both here in Medway and further afield as well.

“We have had challenges along the way but this programme has come in under budget which is fantastic.

“I want to thank everybody who has been involved in the development of it, through to the final build and everything else in between.

“What we have now is a state-of-the-art facility and the most accessible swimming pool certainly in North Kent.

“I think everyone has been blown away by not only the hard-working staff but also the facilities they have seen.

“I am confident that as we move forward the numbers will be high and the feedback will be really positive.”

Newly elected MP for Gillingham and Rainham Naushabah Khan was the former council portfolio holder for property, and has been involved in the scheme for the past year.

She added: “This was something that was inherited. I recognize that other people and the previous administration have played a role in bringing it forward.

“But in the last 12 months, it has been about ensuring that this facility happens, particularly given the constraints that we have seen on council finances.

“The fact that we are here today opening it, it has come on a huge journey in a short space of time.”

The scheme was set to cost £23.65 million, however, a final figure is yet to be determined.

The centre now features a lane pool, wave machine, flume, beach area, and top-of-the-range gym with high-tech equipment activated by member wristbands so users can track their workouts.

The pools can hold up to 156 people at one time across all three sections and the gym, which also offers a range of exercise classes, can be used by 40 users at once, however, this could change.

The site also has meeting rooms, can host children’s birthday parties in the studio spaces, has specialised changing rooms for disabled users and two lifts for entering the water in a wheelchair.

The business engagement manager at Swim England, Tom Blakeley, praised the inclusivity aspects of the project.

He said: “It is absolutely stunning, it is a really cool pool and the access into the pool from a health, well-being and diversity inclusion perspective is absolutely fantastic.

“The use of the pool pods [similar to a hoist] is incredible. I have never seen these ones before so it is really nice to see them.

“It is absolutely going to help as many people in the community as possible.”

Swim England is the national governing body for swimming and helps people learn how to swim, enjoy the water safely, and compete in the sport.

Previously, Medway Council was criticised for what many residents branded unaffordable prices, but Cllr Maple said it is similar to other facilities.

He added: “If you look at it compared to other leisure services, not only just delivered by us but by the private sector as well across North Kent, the prices are pretty comparable now with the inflationary pressures that all facilities have felt over the last few years.”

A premier membership for the sports centre costs £39.95 per month, a family membership for two adults and two children or one adult and three children costs £81.25 per month, and a gym and swim membership costs £37.95.

Some discounts are available but some criticised the cost of Fun Splash - which gives access to the leisure pool and swimming pool including waves and flume - which is £12.50 for adults, £10.35 for those under 16 and over 60s, and £10.10 for people with disabilities.

A family ticket – consisting of a family of four, two parents and two children – will set people back £45.70.

In comparison, a family ticket for casual users at Larkfield Leisure Centre, which also consists of two adults and two children, costs just £29.60. At Mote Park Leisure Centre in Maidstone, the same thing costs £30.

However, the cost of swimming in the main pool is the same as at other Medway sports centres, with seniors and children able to swim for £5.40.

It is also offering a new family holiday swim offer allowing two children aged under 16 to swim for £1 each while accompanied by a full-fee paying adult.

In June 2021, it was announced that the former Splashes, which originally opened in 1990, was to be demolished to stop it from becoming an "eyesore" and to make way for a new facility.

Willmott Dixon Construction Limited was later appointed to build the leisure centre and construction began in March 2023.

Cllr Nina Gurung, who is portfolio holder for heritage, culture and leisure, said: "This is an exciting week for everyone in Medway, and I want to welcome everyone to what will be a fantastic community asset for local residents and superb attraction for visitors from near and far.

“I also want to thank everyone who's been involved in the centre - from the designers and builders to the staff who work here - for making it a place we can all be truly proud of.

“Some amazing work has gone into making Cozenton Park Sports Centre a shining example of what a modern leisure centre should be, with accessibility and sustainability at the heart of its design.

"I know thousands will get to enjoy Cozenton Park and I hope it will become a hub of fun and fitness for decades to come.”