In tragic news for North Sydney’s swimming enthusiasts, the saga that is the ambitious redevelopment of North Sydney’s historic Olympic pool continues, with legal trouble now brewing between the council and the architects of this devastatingly delayed project.
Work on redeveloping the famous North Sydney swimming spot began back in March 2021, with the council initially predicting a two-year closure for the project. More than three years on (and a fair few hiccups along the way), we’re still waiting – with the initial predicted budget of $64 million budget well and truly blown. Now, North Sydney Council is threatening to take architects to court over the project, as construction delays continue, and the famously beautiful public space remains not just inaccessible, but a major eyesore. The potential court action is likely to cause further delays, meaning Sydneysiders have even longer to wait until we can get back into this beautiful harbourside swimming spot.
As a heritage-listed landmark, it’s no huge surprise that the redevelopment has faced its difficulties – the redevelopment is the first major upgrade to the pool since it was constructed back in 1936, and the ambitious plans include upgraded gym facilities, upgraded indoor and outdoor pools, a family leisure pool, a sundeck, a gelato bar and a new spectator grandstand. But for such an important project, it seems as though too many missteps have been made, with the construction of a faulty 25-metre roof for the indoor pool (which was partially constructed, then disassembled at the end of 2023) contributing to the delays. North Sydney Council identified this roof situation as one of the major causes of the delayed construction, and as they come under flack from the public about the delayed project, they’re considering taking legal action against the architecture firm they deem as responsible.
According to the Sydney Morning Herald, councillors took out a $20 million loan earlier this year to help fund the upgrades, with Mayor Zoe Baker estimating the new cost of the project as between $105 million and $110 million.
If all goes to plan, the pool is due to open sometime next year. In the meantime, you can still take a dip in these spectacular ocean-side swimming pools.