Over £1 million has been spent on refurbishing and improving the building and making it comply with the Disability Discrimination Act.

Highland Council has been severely criticised over the inordinate length of time it has taken to get the pool back into operation.

But this week officials confirmed it would reopen on Friday, May 30, complete with extended fitness suite, new steam room and sauna.

An official opening ceremony is planned for the first Saturday in June, although details have still to be finalised.

Dingwall-based senior community learning and leisure officer, Peter Hoffman, said contractors had handed the pool back to the council on Monday and new fitness equipment had been delivered this week.

Councillor Ian Ross of Golspie said: "I visited the site a week or so ago and have been very impressed by the work of the contractor and Highland Council project managers.

"It is a completely refurbished building, both in terms of the pool and the fitness suite. We have now got a building that is in the finest condition, with first-class disability provision."

Councillor Ross had previously described the delay in opening the pool as unacceptable, and said he shared the frustration of pool users.

The pool closed unexpectedly in July 2006 after a routine survey uncovered a potential structural defect.

Repair work was completed early in 2007 and included replacing the pool walkway and retiling the pool tank and the pool hall, as well as other structural repairs which arose as work progressed.

But the pool remained closed for months, pending a second phase of works – which eventually began in mid-September 2007 – to make it comply with the Disability Discrimination Act.

Council officials have since admitted the delay was due to them being short-staffed and the Golspie project not receiving high enough priority.

In the second stage the internal layout was altered, the changing rooms revamped and the fitness suite extended to provide space for a range of up-to-date equipment including treadmills, elliptical trainers, rowing machines and bikes.

Golspie Community Council chairman Ian Miller said this week he was delighted an opening date had finally been fixed.

"It has been a long wait to have the pool reopened but I believe the delay will soon be forgotten, provided it meets the expectations of users," he said. "As long as we get what we want in the end, that's really all that matters."

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