By ANNA USHER

More than 10,000 people poured through the gates of North Sydney Olympic Pool on its free opening weekend, as the 90-year-old harbourside icon roared back to life after its long redevelopment.

Between Friday 7 August and Sunday 9 August, locals packed the reborn pool beside Luna Park to swim, tour the new fitness and wellness rooms and soak up the Art Deco landmark for the first time in years.

They got through 818 cups of coffee, 487 scoops of gelato and 282 serves of hot chips in three days.

The rush followed months of build-up, with more than 5,000 people taking preview tours before the official reopening.

The weekend opened on Friday with a Welcome to Country and Smoking Ceremony led by Cammeraygal Elders Auntie Jeanie and Auntie Tarunna, followed by speeches from North Sydney Mayor Zoe Baker, state MP Sophie Cotsis and swimming great Shane Gould.

“Buildings become landmarks because of their architecture. They become icons because of the people who fill them,” Gould told the crowd.

“Today we celebrate not only the reopening of a remarkable pool, but the beginning of thousands of new stories that will unfold in these waters.”

90 years and 86 world records

Now in its 90th year, the heritage-listed pool has been part of Australian sport since it opened in 1936. It hosted the 1938 British Empire Games, now the Commonwealth Games, and has seen 86 world records set in its lanes.

The redevelopment restored the pool’s Art Deco heritage. Four heritage structures were kept, including the Eastern Stair Tower and the Southern Heritage Wall with its restored stucco motifs. Thousands of original 1930s bricks were salvaged and reused, and replacement bricks were hand-painted one by one to match the old work.

North Sydney local Alice, a former national swimmer, was one of the first back in the water.

“I’ve swam at this pool for many, many years as a national swimmer, when I was younger. It’s really exciting to be back here and see how it’s been transformed,” she said.

North Sydney resident Glen grew up racing in the lanes.

“I was here as a kid. I went to North Sydney Boys. We came down here for swimming carnivals. It was fantastic,” he said. “It’s nice to have a public facility which works for everyone, which is pretty rare these days.

What’s inside now

The revamped centre runs a refurbished outdoor 50m pool with a boom to split it for carnivals and lap swimming, two indoor pools, a spa, sauna and steam room, a children’s pool and splash pad, a creche, a new gym, group fitness and reformer pilates studios, a cafe serving Campos coffee, a gelato bar and an upgraded sun deck.

Sydney local Louisa, who has swum here for years, said the pool felt like nowhere else.

“Some of my favourite memories here are lazing around on a summer’s day and just having all the icons around you feeling a bit carefree. It feels a little bit international,” she said.

Details on memberships, learn to swim and programs are on the website.