Australia’s Most Beautiful Pool: Cost Blowout Saga Continue

Written by

Charbel Abousleiman

Urban Planning Lawyer & Buyers Agent

12/02/2024

The 85-year-old North Sydney Olympic Pool redevelopment faces fresh delays, budget blowouts and construction errors, which will see some work dismantled.

Swimmers will have to wait even longer to return to the pool after design and construction issued force the reopening date to be pushed back from mid-2024 to early 2025. Work on the project began in February 2021 and was originally due for completion in 2023 at an estimated cost of $64 million.

Since works commenced, the project has been subject to extensive delays and budget increases that have seen the project cost rise by more than $30 million – making it one of the most expensive council-led pool redevelopments ever to be undertaken in Sydney. In particular, major defects existed with the structural steel roof framing over a new 25 metre indoor pool, which results in the work having to be dismantled.

A look back in time of North Sydney Olympic Pool

Council is now considering taking out further loans to fund the project which in the economic climate will require interest repayments of circa $900,000 a year, placing further pressure on council’s operational budget.

These cost blowouts have had and will continue to have ramifications for other local infrastructure projects, including Neutral Bay, Cremorne and North Sydney town centre upgrades. These projects will almost certainly be deferred.

Being built by contractor Icon, the new aquatic and recreational facility will feature the following:

existing 50 metre and 25 metre pools will be upgraded and art deco features will be maintained, including the harbourside wall, sundeck and heritage stair tower,
a new warm water pool suitable for gentle exercise,
an expanded gym with harbour views,
a larger crèche with private indoor and outdoor spaces, and
a new 970-person grandstand with permanent shade for sun-safe swimming carnivals.

Having served the community for about 84 years, North Sydney Olympic Pool was built on the Dorman Long construction site for the Harbour Bridge. The pool opened in 1936 and 1938 it hosted the Empire Games (later known as the Commonwealth Games).

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