Kirkcudbright Swimming Pool is on track to reopen early next month after appointing a new interim manager.
Rick Newman has been handed the job of getting the premises ready for the public again.
The popular facility closed on November 28 amid a cash crisis sparked by soaring energy bills.
Since then, hundreds of swimmers and gym users have been stranded while steps are taken to steady the ship.
Mr Newman, 56, had a long career in the leisure industry in England before moving to the town.
He said: “My immediate target is to get the building open and used by the community again.
“We have a bit of a leak in the plant room and once the new part is fitted we can switch everything back on.
“Once that’s sorted we can get the staff back in and get the building cleaned.
“It doesn’t need a lot – we can then get the gym opened pretty quickly.
“But we do have to wait for the water to be right before we can reopen the pool.”
Mr Newman added: “We will be open very soon and I’m quite excited by the thought of getting it back open again.
“I was sport and leisure manager with Eastbourne Borough Council in East Sussex, so I know how important facilities like this are to the community.
“I’m looking forward to welcoming everybody back and helping them to fulfil their wish to get fit and healthy.”
Pool chairman Brian Matthews welcomed Mr Newman’s appointment.
He said: “Rick lives in Kirkcudbright and is a local guy. He has a background in leisure centres and is very experienced – he’s the ideal candidate.
“His job is to reopen the pool, get it up and running again and, with the help of the staff, reorganise everything.
“We will be getting a better programme of events set up at the pool specifically designed to get more people in.
“That could include more swimming lessons, for example.”
Mr Matthews added: “It’s not a five-minute job getting it restarted.
“There’s a bit of maintenance work required before the pool can reopen.
“Our deadline of reopening the pool to the public by early February remains in place.”
Pool funders Kirkcudbright Development Trust are currently in discussions over bringing the facility fully under its wing as a separate trading arm.
