When the city opened its long-awaited recreation centre on the morning of Oct. 26, it wasn’t the splashy event that one would have expected after years of anticipation.

With a pandemic underway and strict safety protocols in place, the municipality is gradually phasing in its use to protect visitors and staff from the spread of COVID-19.

The typical splash of an opening-day celebration was instead replaced by the sound of Orillia Channel Cats Swim Club members slicing through the waters of the new eight-lane pool.

“It’s pretty amazing,” head coach Meredith Thompson-Edwards told Simcoe.com. “It’s like, wow, it’s real now.”

Just as the city is phasing in use of the building, the Orillia Channel Cats are likewise taking a go-slow approach.

The club is limiting the number of members in the pool at one time and dividing the pool into four, double-sized lanes to allow for greater distance between swimmers.

“With the Y closing, we haven’t been able to train at all,” Thompson-Edwards said. “We have done some dry land (training) to keep them as active as they can, but to actually dive in, they were pretty excited.”

For the time being, the building at 255 West St. S. will be open to the public for time slots at the fitness centre, pre-registered drop-in aquatics, fitness and sports programming, registered programs, and user groups.

The gradual approach to opening includes modified schedules to allow for monitoring of building capacity, proper cleaning protocols and contact tracing.

All participants must arrive dressed and ready for their program of choice, as change rooms are not currently available.

Masks must be worn in common areas and in designated programs.

The facility’s opening represents “a pivotal point” for the community, Mayor Steve Clarke said.

“Although the opening is very different than we had imagined, and there will be no grand opening celebration – yet – this facility is something the entire city can be extremely proud of,” Clarke added.

Memberships, known as ‘Fun Passes’ can be purchased through the city’s online portal, , which also serves as the registration point for drop-in programming.