Tobruk Pool: Repairs force pool closures for Cairns public swimming facility
Tobruk Memorial Pool underwent a $23.7 million upgrade just four years ago but already needs expensive repairs that will result in pool closures.
Cairns
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TOBRUK Memorial Pool underwent a $23.7 million upgrade just four years ago but already needs expensive repairs that will leave lap swimmers temporarily high and dry.
Cairns Regional Council completed a mammoth redevelopment of the community facility in June 2016, delivering a new 50m Olympic swimming pool, an artificial wave rider and a suite of major upgrades.
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It is now about to start work on $350,000 in repairs to the “wet deck” grades edge-grip tiles of both the 50m and 25m pools, which have “started to show signs of deterioration and need to be replaced to ensure the safety of patrons and staff”.
It means the 50m pool will be closed for six weeks from this Friday until September 6, with the 25m pool to shut for three weeks from September 7-27.
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“As the Tobruk Memorial Pool is built to FINA (International Swimming Association) standards to ensure it can be used for elite level training and competition, specialised tiles are required,” a council spokesman explained.
“The grates come from the US and the edge-grip tiles from Germany.
“Delays in obtaining the grates and tiles due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic has pushed out the timeline for starting these works.
“Council is staging the works to reduce the impact on patrons.”
Swimming lessons will continue during the repairs, although only one of the facility’s pools will be operating at any one time.
“Works can only be done while the pool is empty, and a staged approach will be used to reduce the impact on patrons,” the council spokesman said.
Originally published as Tobruk Pool: Repairs force pool closures for Cairns public swimming facility