After a cold and snowy winter that even tested the patience of people who grew up with cold and snowy winters, the long anticipated arrival of summer was to become an astronomical reality at 6:51 a.m. Saturday

In Waterville, the first day of summer means the Alfond Municipal Pool Complex will open Saturday, just in time for the summer solstice.

The pool, which is next to the Alfond Youth Center, typically opens the first weekend after the school year.

The winter was hard on the pool complex, too, said Waterville Parks and Recreation Director Matt Skehan.

“We started the work in April, spraying down the pool and other areas, scraping it and fixing cracks. There were a couple problems with frost getting underneath the slides and cracking it, so we had to repair that,” he said.

The complex includes the main pool, a family swim area, two kiddie pools and two pool slides. Skehan said a test run of all the features at the complex was completed by Friday, including staff orientation and in-pool training for new lifeguards.

“Everything is operating the way it should,” Skehan said.

Skehan said he can’t recall a blistering hot opening weekend in his eight years as parks and rec director, but said a calm, nice-weather weekend is preferred to get the pool staff back into the swing of things.

The complex typically has between 25,000 and 30,000 visitors a season. Rates range from daily fees starting at $2 for children under 17 years old and up to $7 for adult non-residents. Individual and family season passes are also available.

The arrival of the summer solstice means that Friday was the longest day of the year, with 16 hours and 48 minutes of daylight. Today there will be a minute less sunshine, and the days will continue to get shorter until winter creeps back on Dec. 21 at 6:03 p.m.