Revealed: the truth about Prince Alfred Park Pool

The redevelopment of Prince Alfred Park Pool is running hopelessly behind schedule due to ongoing, seemingly intractable disputes between the City of Sydney Council and the project’s builders, City News can exclusively reveal.

Prompted by reports that the pool’s opening has been pushed back yet again, to July, a City News investigation has found the project has been repeatedly held up due to financial disagreements between the City of Sydney and the contractor, Walton Construction.

Sources inside Town Hall have confirmed on condition of anonymity that Walton Construction has stopped work on the project numerous times, seeking more money from the City over and above the agreed “progress payments”, citing “unforeseen construction costs”.

The company has claimed a litany of unexpected costs relating to issues such as excavation, soil stability, site contamination, wet ground and water leaks.

Last year, the City refused to pay any further costs, prompting the company to successfully sue the City for an undetermined amount, believed to be up to $2.5 million, with construction ceasing as lawyers for both sides battled it out.

News of the situation was suppressed, with the contract subject to strict confidentiality provisions, keeping ratepayers and the media in the dark.

City News understands the project has once again stalled, despite the pool being filled with water and even lane ropes put in place.

Relatively minor issues relating to the shell of the pool and the water balance are yet to be resolved, with the contractors seeking more money from the City to rectify them.

The new stalemate means an Occupation Certificate cannot be obtained, and the pool cannot legally open to the public.

The City has pushed the opening date back yet again, in a bid to buy time to resolve the impasse.

Sydney Lord Mayor Clover Moore is citing finishing touches and cleaning for the latest delay.

“Final works are currently underway and include fence and security systems, shade structure, soft-fall play equipment, signage, joinery in administration areas, landscape works, mechanical works, commissioning of equipment and final cleaning,” said Ms Moore.

“The city’s pool operations contractor is also on standby, ready to take over … as soon as the final works are complete, which is expected to be in mid-2013.”

The Lord Mayor and the other nine councillors are prevented by the contract’s confidentiality clauses from discussing the real reasons behind the delay.

Ms Moore is said to be furious with the contractors, however several sources at Town Hall criticised the Lord Mayor herself for signing off on a contract that allegedly favours the builders.

“This contract should never have been signed,” said one source.

“It’s all weighted in favour of the builder. The City is at their mercy – they can pretty much claim any extra construction costs they like and we just have to wear it.”

Another source said the City should have broken the contract and found a new builder “long ago”.

“But that would have cost even more money and the true nature of the City’s ineptitude would be exposed to the public.”

The City of Sydney first announced plans to redevelop Prince Alfred Park Pool in 2005.

The old pool closed in April 2008 and was originally slated to re-open in 2010.

Revised opening dates of November 2011, July 2012, December 2012 and March 2013 have come and gone, while the budget ballooned from $10 million to $18 million.

Walton Construction could not be reached for comment by deadline.