Historic North Sydney Pool Nears Reopening After Years Of Delays

The long-delayed redevelopment of the historic North Sydney Olympic Pool is expected to be completed this year, more than four years after the site closed for renovations and following a budget blowout that has pushed costs to $122 million.

The art deco pool complex beneath the Sydney Harbour Bridge first opened in 1936 and hosted swimming events during the 1938 Empire Games. The pool closed in February 2021 for a major redevelopment originally forecast to cost about $48 million to $60 million, with reopening initially scheduled for 2022.

Builders are expected to formally hand the site back to North Sydney Council within weeks, after which council staff will undertake an eight to 10 week preparation period before the public reopening.

North Sydney Mayor Zoë Baker told The Guardian: “We’ll still be dealing with the financial and other legacies of the pool, but for users, it’ll be a joy to be back.”

Baker said technical issues involving the harbour water circulation system contributed to delays. “There were too many turns in the pipes so they had to redo it to make certain that it pumped at the right volume,” she said.

The redevelopment includes rebuilt grandstands, upgraded changerooms, a hydrotherapy pool, sauna, expanded children’s play area, and a new gym and pilates studio beneath the stands. A movable wall has also been installed, allowing the main 50 metre pool to be converted into two 25 metre pools.

Remaining work includes the painting of heritage stucco seashell reliefs, which will be redecorated in the bright colours of the original design. Much of the site has been rebuilt, although a few original sections remain, including the southern wall with its sundeck.

The pool’s outer rim has a terracotta colour to match surviving bricks from the 1930s, including those in the northern wall, behind which the pool’s gym – known as “Lane 9” – formerly lived.

The project has drawn sustained criticism over escalating costs and management concerns.

An independent review commissioned by council previously found the original budget for the North Sydney redevelopment was unrealistic because detailed construction plans had not been completed before contracts were signed.