North Sydney Olympic Pool hit with new delays after construction errors result in dismantling works

Battlelines are being drawn around the redevelopment of one of Sydney’s most iconic pools. The project faces fresh delays, budget blowouts and construction errors which will see some work dismantled.

The reopening date for the pool has been pushed back due to major construction issues.

Political battlelines are being drawn around the redevelopment of one of Sydney’s most iconic swimming pools as the project faces fresh delays, budget overruns and construction errors that forced parts of the multimillion dollar project to be dismantled.

Swimmers will have to wait even longer to return to North Sydney Olympic Pool after design and construction issues forced the reopening date to be pushed back from mid-2024 to least late this year or early 2025.

Work on the North Sydney Council-led project began in February 2021 and was originally due to be completed by 2023 at an estimated cost of $64 million.

But since works on the site commenced, the project has been subject to extensive delays and budget increases that has seen the cost of the project rise by more than $20 million – making it one of the most expensive council-led pool redevelopments ever to be undertaken in Sydney.

North Sydney Council says the latest round of delays on the project have been caused by significant “construction issues” with the structural steel roof framing over a new 25m indoor pool which resulted in the work having to be disassembled.

A photo of construction work on the North Sydney Olympic Pool. Picture: John Appleyard

The council has declined to publicly elaborate on the details of the construction issues, instead issuing a statement saying: “investigations are underway to determine the precise issue.”

A council spokeswoman added that the council has been working with contractors and external advisers to determine “the most appropriate way forward for this portion of the project”.

The total allocated budget for the project is $85.87 million, however Mayor Zoe Baker this week warned the final cost of the project could exceed “$100 million”.

Work on the project commenced in 2021.

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

The cost blowouts have already had ramifications for other local infrastructure and community projects including town centre upgrades and roadworks that the council last year “deferred” as part of cost saving measures.

North Sydney Mayor Zoe Baker said she was “incredibly disappointed” by the latest delays as the council continues to manage the ongoing project costs.

North Sydney Mayor Zoe Baker.

Ms Baker said the funding pulled from other projects including open space and playing field upgrades was an “opportunity cost” for the community.

The latest round of delays follows the release of an independent review of the project that found North Sydney Council failed to adequately manage risks associated with the pool delivery during planning stages of the project.

The review was also critical of the council’s budget process for the project which did not give consideration to all costs associated with the redevelopment, including internal project management, equipment, fit-outs, and business development.

The project is facing extensive delays.

The review found factors contributing to rising costs since construction commenced have included construction supply chain contains, inflation, the discovery of hazardous material at the site, poor weather and Covid-19-related delays.

The rising costs and management of the project are expected to become a major talking point in the lead up to this year’s local government elections which will see thousands of North Sydney voters head to the polls in September.

Ms Baker – who was elected as mayor in 2022 – has squarely blamed the current headaches associated with the project on decisions made during the previous term of council.

The project continues to face budget increases and delays.

“In my opinion, the key issue for our community (at the election) should be good governance, transparency and accountability,” Ms Baker said.

“If there had been strong, transparent governance and proper oversight it is highly unlikely that this current council would be burdened with cleaning up the impacts of the poor decisions the previous council made around this project.”

North Sydney councillor Jilly Gibson.

Councillor Jilly Gibson – who served as mayor during the previous council term – defended decisions made during planning stages of the project.

“It’s been two years since the election and residents aren’t buying the constant deflection and blame game. It’s a debacle,” she said.

“In January 2022, the project was on time and on budget and the mayor needs to take responsibility for what has happened on her watch. In my opinion she should stand down.”

The project is expected to become a key local election issue.

The delays on the project are meanwhile presenting an ongoing waiting game for many local residents who eagerly await the day they will be able to return to the harbourside swim spot.

Colin Hannah – president of the North Sydney Masters Swimming Club which was based at the pool before redevelopment works commenced – says the closure of the pool has resulted in members having to travel as far as pools in Manly to continue meeting for training sessions.

“We were told the project would be finished in July so it’s incredibly disappointing it’s been delayed again,” he said.

Once completed, the project will include new indoor and outdoor pools, a family leisure pool, a gelato bar and a new spectator grandstand.

The pool is being built by contractor Icon which was awarded the tender to carry out the redevelopment back in 2021. An spokesman for the company declined to elaborate on the current construction issues associated with the 25m pool but said the organisation was taking the issue “seriously”

“(Icon) is engaging constructively with North Sydney Council in a cooperative manner and are continuing to progress these discussions and working collaboratively with council to close out the remaining design items to allow the structural steel works to recommence,” the spokesman said in a statement.