North Sydney Pool builder responds to Opal Tower links

A storm is brewing over the decision to award the redevelopment contract for the North Sydney Pool to a company linked with the developer that built Sydney’s cracked Opal Tower.

Construction work has began on the redevelopment of North Sydney Olympic Pool

The developer that won the contract to rebuild North Sydney Olympic Pool has responded to community concern over the company’s links to the developer that built Sydney’s cracked Opal Tower.

The two-year redevelopment of the 85-year-old pool kicked-off last week after North Sydney Council awarded the construction contract to Icon Si in December.

The $64 million project is aimed at addressing the dilapidated state of the existing facility and will include upgraded 50m and 25m pools, along with a new kids’ waterplay area, heated pool, an expanded gym and a 970-person grandstand.

The redevelopment is due for completion by summer 2022.

The council announced Icon Si won the tender on its website in January, prompting concerns from some residents over the association between Icon Si and Icon NSW – the builder of Sydney’s Opal Tower which made headlines when cracks appeared in the high-rise tower on Christmas Eve, 2018

Icon Si and Icon NSW are both owned by Kajima Corporation – a Japanese multinational construction group which operates in more than 20 countries

North Sydney Council has this week moved to appease concern by publishing a “Your Questions Answered” page on its website stating that while Icon Si and Icon NSW both fall under the Kajima “umbrella”, the companies are separate legal and financial entities.

North Shore State MP Felicity Wilson, North Sydney Mayor Jilly Gibson, Icon director Edward Whiting and North Sydney Federal MP Trent Zimmerman pictured at a ground breaking ceremony at the pool this month.

Icon director Edward Whiting declined to comment directly on Opal Tower but said the redevelopment of the pool was being undertaken by a separate planning and construction team.

“Icon Si is a different entity and there’s a completely different project team working on the pool (to that of the Opal Tower),” he said.

“We’ve explained to council how we operate our business and we’re looking forward to showcasing what the new Icon business is about.”

North Sydney Council said it awarded the contract from nine ‘expressions of interest’ bids which had been assessed on their “demonstrated capacity, experience and technical ability” along with price and proposed construction methods.

A concept plan of the redevelopment

Mayor Jilly Gibson said she was aware of comments on social media about the contract but believed negative commentary was being “whipped up” by opponents of the development.

“The contract ticked all the boxes and we wouldn’t have given it to them otherwise,” she said.

“It’s going to be an amazing facility when it’s completed - when we awarded the tender we considered cost, construction time as well as heritage preservation.

“I’m absolutely confident in the builder and the project.”

Works at the pool will ramp up over the coming weeks with demolition due to run from April to the end of June before the construction of new facilities.

Mr Whiting said the development was one of the biggest projects undertaken by Icon Si which was previously contracted to rebuild the recently completed 50m outdoor pool and grandstand at Lane Cove Aquatic Centre.

“There’s significant heritage restoration involved in the redevelopment of the pool which includes maintaining the brick work in the western stairs and the sun deck,” he said.

“It’s a great job for Icon to win and we’re looking forward to being able to deliver a pool on this scale.”

The redevelopment was approved in July last year after the Sydney North Planning Planning Panel which found the existing concrete structure was in a “poor condition” with a history of “reported significant leaks” at the 50m pool and children’s pool.

Mr Whiting said project on track for completion by summer 2022.