The William L. Welch Community Swimming Pool, located on Westerly Parkway near State College High School, was reopened this weekend with a First Splash ceremony that saw Mayor Gorehamn in attendance — and participating — as well as scores of kids and parents excited to try out what is the coolest water facility I’ve seen in a long time.

And that video doesn’t even include the second pool at the facility, which has lap swimming lanes and diving boards.

The pool complex is surrounded by green spaces and some areas next to the pool with artificial grass, which gets a bit hot but is otherwise comfortable.

There are two slides, both of substantial length (#twss), that empty into the main water activities area, which also includes a circular vortex area and a “lazy river” current channel. All in, the facilities were unlike anything I had seen at a community swimming pool before.

The slides are really what sold me on the $5.2 million expenditure this pool represented for the greater State College area, namely including the townships contingent to the borough.

The most straightforward way to get there from downtown State College is to follow Gill Street down to the bike path adjacent to the tennis courts and then take that until you reach Westerly Parkway. Look for the big slides — you can’t miss it.

Admission costs just $1 through June 4. After that, for residents 11-64, daily admission is $7 or $70 for the season. The pool is open until 8:00 pm most days, though it will close occasionally at 5:00 pm for swim meets.