WAIPAHU — Alan Bartolome used to go to the Waipahu community swimming pool, but he hasn't been there now for more than four years.

Yesterday he got his chance and he plans to bring some youth church members with him.

"Plenty people walk from all over and this place used to be crowded," Bartolome said. "This is like the focal point for the community. It's nice they did something with the pool."

The pool was officially dedicated and reopened yesterday, four years after it was closed in 2005 because shifting soil buckled the pool deck and damaged pipes. The city spent $2.2 million to shore up the deck by installing steel piles under it.

The pool is in Waipahu District Park, which was built on an old duck pond in 1965. The pool has had problems for a long time. In 1994 the city tore out the old pool and rebuilt it at the same Paiwa Street location at a cost of about $1 million.

The new pool was built on piles, but the surrounding deck and accompanying structures were not.

Lillian Okazaki, who has lived across Paiwa Street from the pool for 47 years, came early to yesterday's dedication ceremony. She's hoping the city will hold water aerobics classes for senior citizens.

"It will be well-used," said Okazaki, who used to let her children come to the park and the pool to play. "The kids need something like this."

Mayor Mufi Hannemann thanked the neighborhood board and the community for their patience during the four years of the pool's construction.

"At the end of the day, we have to ... make sure we don't encounter any more work stoppages or disruptions or interferences that prevent the children of Waipahu, the seniors of Waipahu and the people of Waipahu from enjoying a pool that is rightfully theirs," Hannemann said.

The pool is a big part of the community, said City Councilman Nestor Garcia.

"This is your pool and you made sure this happened," Garcia said. "I am just your servant."

Toni Robinson, an assistant administrator for park recreation management services who has spent 35 years in the city's Department of Parks and Recreation, took the first dip in the sparkling blue pool.

"It's wonderful," Robinson said. "I need some more people to join me. The community has been waiting for this pool.

"We're sorry it took so long, but it's open now."