'We need one of these in Holly Springs," Meg Waser said as she thumbed through the brochure at the reception desk, the faint smell of chlorine wafting through the air.

"We need one of these in North Raleigh," said a woman standing nearby.

"One of these" is the month-old Triangle Aquatic Center, a 72,000-square-foot swim complex in Cary, the likes of which hasn't been seen in the Triangle. Or North Carolina, notes Derek Wall, Triangle Aquatic's facility manager.

"It's pretty much the premier swimming facility in the Southeast," Wall says.

When it opened Oct. 28, Triangle Aquatic did more than just fill a void. While public open-air pools abound in the Triangle, there are precious few public indoor pools. Raleigh has Pullen Park and, this year, the bubble-covered Millbrook pool. (Optimist Park, which has long gone under a temporary bubble come cooler weather, is closed for renovation.) Morrisville has a bubbled pool, too. But that's about it.

Triangle Aquatic Center is a privately held nonprofit, but it is open to the public. And it didn't just wade into the void, it did a full-fledged cannonball. Here's how it made its splash:

• 50-meter competition pool (with 1,000-seat stadium).
• 25-yard program pool.
• Warm-water pool.
• 33 lap swim lanes total.
• Cafe.
• Swim Shop.
• WiFi (yup, bring the kids for their lesson and catch up on your e-mail in the stands).

Starting the first of the year, the center plans to offer a full slate of swim lessons, which dovetails nicely with any fitness resolutions you may have for the year ahead.

"We want to make sure that there's a wide variety of programs," says program manager Doracy Harrison.

There's the usual collection of kids' lessons and an interesting collection of adult offerings. There's a beginner class for folks who need to learn the basics (breathing, for instance). There's a stroke development class for folks comfortable in the water but lacking technique. And there's a stroke improvement course for accomplished swimmers looking to build "confidence, speed and yardage." (Courses are $60 to $80.)

There are aquafit classes ($45, $60) and something called Boot Camp ($80), which Harrison says includes land and water workouts.

"We'll start with a dry-land workout, maybe push-ups, a circuit workout for 20 minutes, then into the water. It'll be intense."

There'll be pickup water polo matches ($8 per session). Previous experience is required, says Harrison. But the goal is to cultivate some devout water polo players interested in teaching newbies.

And there will be a QuickStart Your Kayak class, a three-hour session designed to touch on the basics. ($115 if you need a boat, $75 if you byob).

Harrison says additional classes will be added based on demand.

If that demand is really strong, Waser and the woman from North Raleigh might get their wish.

"Based on how this goes," says facilities manager Wall, "we'd like to build more around the Triangle."