North Sydney Olympic Pool

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North Sydney Olympic Pool
Olimpic Swimming pool Sydney.JPG
The 50m North Sydney Olympic Pool in 2010
Building information
Location Milsons Point, New South Wales, Australia
Coordinates 33°50′57″S151°12′40″E / 33.849278°S 151.211199°E / -33.849278; 151.211199
Opened4 April 1936
Owner North Sydney Council

The North Sydney Olympic Pool is a heritage listed swimming and exercise complex in Milsons Point, New South Wales. It is notable for its location adjacent to Sydney Harbour, between the Sydney Harbour Bridge and Luna Park.

Contents

History

Diver at the Empire Games, North Sydney Olympic Pool, 1938 Diver at the Empire Games 1938 SLNSW FL9730362.jpg
Diver at the Empire Games, North Sydney Olympic Pool, 1938

Following the completion of the Sydney Harbour Bridge, the land previously occupied by the Dorman Long workshops was returned to government ownership, and applications for tenders to redevelop the site were opened. While at first strongly opposed to any plans involving an amusement park, in 1934 the state government and North Sydney Council decided an amusement park and municipal pool would economically benefit the area, and stimulate traffic over the Harbour Bridge. [1]

Designed by architects Rudder & Grout in the Inter-War Free Classical style with art deco-style decorations, [2] North Sydney Olympic Pool opened on 4 April 1936. The pool hosted the swimming and diving events for the 1938 Empire Games. [3]

Eighty-six world records have been set at the pool by such swimming greats as Jon and Ilsa Konrads, Lorraine Crapp, Frank O'Neill, Judy Joy Davies, John Devitt, Shane Gould and Michelle Ford. [4] In 1960, at the Australian National Swimming Championships and Olympic Trials, six world records were set in the single meet. [5]

Heating was added in 2000 and a 25-metre (82 ft) indoor pool was built in 2001 atop the grandstands. [6]

The 25 metre pool, built in 2001. It was demolished during the 2021 redevelopment North Sydney Olympic Pool.jpg
The 25 metre pool, built in 2001. It was demolished during the 2021 redevelopment

2021 Renovation

By the early 21st century, the pool's condition had deteriorated. [8] Plans were announced in 2019 to rebuild most of the complex. The 50-metre pool, grandstands, and 25 metre pool were to be demolished and rebuilt. Further additions included new food venues and a new gym, as well as modern changerooms and facilities. [9] [10]

Redevelopment plans were approved in 2020, projected to cost $48 million. [11] The North Sydney Council received a $10 million grant from the Federal Government to fund the project. The scheme this funding originates from was announced in the prior federal election as the Female Facilities and Water Safety Stream, aimed at funding female changerooms and sporting facilities. [12] [13] This attracted criticism as the scheme had originally been billed as for regional areas. Prime Minister Scott Morrison stated that the scheme was never exclusively for regional facilities, blaming the backlash on misinformation. [14] North Sydney Mayor Jilly Gibson defended the federal funding, claiming the North Sydney Pool is "Definitely a regional facility," as it's used by people from across New South Wales and Australia. [15]

The pool's redevelopment had been controversial amongst the North Sydney council. [16] By early December 2020, the council was still assessing tenders, despite the scheduled closing date of 31 December. [17] By mid-December, the budget had blown out to $64 million. Councillors voted to keep the complex open past 31 December until contracts have been signed. [18] By January 2021, it was announced that Icon Construction had won the contract to conduct the renovations. This attracted media attention due to Icon being the company responsible for the construction of the troubled Opal Tower. [19] [20]

The complex closed on 28 February 2021 and work started in March, with an expected reopening date of late 2022. By the end of 2021, the reopening date had been delayed to February 2023. [21] In October 2022, Mayor Zoe Baker ordered a probe into the project. [22] The review found that the project is more than $30 million over budget, and that the final cost would be at least $89 million. Councillor Jilly Gibson, who was mayor when the pool redevelopment was approved, said the review was flawed and omitted relevant information. [23]

In 2023, structural design flaws forced the newly built roof of the indoor pool to be removed. This led to Icon taking the North Sydney Council to court in May 2025 for $28 million. The company claims that the council was repeatedly making revisions to designs of the replacement roof, leading to further delays and increased costs. [24]

In November 2024, with the renovation still underway, the North Sydney Council announced it was considering raising council rates. [25] The cost of the pool, which by this point had blown out to $90 million, had left the council in a weak liquidity position. [26] Its application to raise rates was denied in May 2025 by IPART. [27]

As of mid 2025, the cost estimates for the project have reached $122 million. [7] Works are still ongoing, and are expected to be completed in November, with the pool reopening in the months following. [28]

References

  1. ↑ Marshall, Sam (1995). Luna Park, Just for Fun (2nd ed.). Luna Park Reserve Trust (published 2005). p. 52. ISBN   0 646 44807 2.
  2. ↑ "North Sydney Olympic Pool". New South Wales Heritage Database. Office of Environment & Heritage . Retrieved 5 January 2019.
  3. ↑ "Milsons Point". Archived from the original on 3 February 2014. Retrieved 30 January 2014.
  4. ↑ "Historical Records". North Sydney Council. Archived from the original on 23 March 2019. Retrieved 5 January 2019.
  5. ↑ Welch, Bruce (24 February 1960). "RECORDS CRASH IN SWIM TITLES". The Age. Retrieved 12 August 2025.
  6. ↑ "HASSELL - Project - North Sydney Olympic Pool". Hassell . Archived from the original on 5 January 2019. Retrieved 5 January 2019.
  7. 1 2 Harvey, Adam (5 August 2025). "How the iconic North Sydney Olympic Pool put local council in deep financial debt". ABC News. Retrieved 12 August 2025.
  8. ↑ "Iconic pool crumbling and may close". ABC News. 27 March 2019.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  9. ↑ Boucher, Dinah Lewis (12 November 2019). "Sydney Olympic Pool Redevelopment Plans Unveiled". www.theurbandeveloper.com. Retrieved 12 August 2025.
  10. ↑ "Restorative redevelopment for landmark Sydney Harbour pool". ArchitectureAU. Archived from the original on 12 August 2020. Retrieved 12 August 2025.
  11. ↑ Gorrey, Megan (3 July 2020). "North Sydney Olympic Pool's $48 million revamp approved despite heritage concerns". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 12 August 2025.
  12. ↑ "Backing sporting communities and women in sport [Media Release]". Prime Minister of Australia. 30 March 2019. Archived from the original on 2 April 2019.
  13. ↑ "'Definitely a regional facility': How North Sydney Council won a $10m pool upgrade grant earmarked for regions". ABC News. 26 February 2020. Retrieved 12 August 2025.
  14. ↑ "Scott Morrison blames 'misinformation' for criticism of Sydney Harbour pool grant". SBS News. 4 March 2020. Retrieved 12 August 2025.
  15. ↑ Gorrey, Megan (26 February 2020). "A 'regional facility': Sydney mayor defends $10 million pool grant". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 12 August 2025.
  16. ↑ Gorrey, Megan (25 June 2020). "'Vanity project': North Sydney councillors lash $58 million pool revamp". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 12 August 2025.
  17. ↑ Gorrey, Megan (2 December 2020). "Councillors fight plan to shut North Sydney Olympic Pool during summer". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 12 August 2025.
  18. ↑ Gorrey, Megan (16 December 2020). "North Sydney Olympic Pool redevelopment costs blow out to $64 million". The Sydney Morning Herald.
  19. ↑ Gorrey, Megan (13 January 2021). "Opal Tower builder chosen to redevelop historic North Sydney Olympic Pool". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 12 August 2025.
  20. ↑ Wilkins, Georgia (15 January 2021). "Deal in the dark: how did the Opal Tower developer land a fresh $64m project?". Crikey. Retrieved 12 August 2025.
  21. ↑ O'Sullivan, Matt (2 December 2021). "Delay to North Sydney pool sparks concern about another budget blowout". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 12 August 2025.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  22. ↑ Gorrey, Megan (11 October 2022). "'Grave concerns': North Sydney mayor orders probe into pool revamp". The Sydney Morning Herald. Archived from the original on 30 December 2022.
  23. ↑ Megan Gorrey (1 May 2023). "'I told you so': Recriminations fly over $89m North Sydney pool revamp". Sydney Morning Herald . Retrieved 3 May 2023.
  24. ↑ "Builder takes council to court for $28 million over botched North Sydney Pool redevelopment". Mosman Collective. 8 May 2025.
  25. ↑ Gorrey, Megan (23 November 2024). "'Crisis point': North Sydney Council rates could double to fund pool". The Sydney Morning Herald.
  26. ↑ Ibrahim, Tony (18 November 2024). "Redevelopment of North Sydney Olympic Pool leaves council with 'cash flow problem', eyes steep rate hike". ABC News.
  27. ↑ "North Sydney Council's steep rates increase plan ruled out by IPART". ABC News. 16 May 2025.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  28. ↑ "North Sydney Olympic Pool redevelopment". North Sydney Council. Archived from the original on 12 August 2025. Retrieved 12 August 2025.
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