Screams of joy could be heard over the music as a huge bucket of water dumped on the heads of some eager kids.

The water playground in the middle of the kid pool is one of several features at the new Walla Walla Veterans Memorial Pool, which celebrated its grand opening Friday.

Community members lined up more than a half-hour early to be some of the first inside. Former city Parks and Rec Director Jim Dumont says the project has been a long time coming. He closed down the original pool 10 years ago and has been working since to build a new one.

Dumont says they went through 4 bonds before a $6.4 million bond passed in the community. That bond allowed the city to build new facilities, a concession stand and an Olympic size pool. Another $2 million dollars was raised for the kid pool with the playground equipment and two water slides.

It was clearly a hit with the kids in the community who came out to the grand opening celebration on Friday. If you have not seen it yet, there will be free admission Saturday from noon-6:30 p.m. for the open swim.

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