North Sydney residents hoping for a summer dip will be disappointed as the long-awaited reopening of the Olympic Pool is now predicted to be delayed until early 2026.
The $122 million project, which started in 2021, was expected to finish in May of this year. Still, new reports indicate that the community will have to wait even longer to access the popular swimming spot.
Ongoing Construction Issues
A report prepared for an upcoming North Sydney Council meeting has revealed that developer Icon’s construction work is progressing more slowly than expected. Currently, the project may not reach practical completion until late November 2025.
This significant delay means that the pool is unlikely to reopen to the public for another six to eight weeks after that, placing the reopening sometime in early 2026. Council documents state that Icon has submitted many applications for extensions of time, totalling 159 since the rebuild commenced. Additionally, there have been a substantial 1,855 requests for information, with 59 still needing to be addressed.
Funding at Risk
The continued delays are also putting a portion of crucial funding at risk. Council has stated that $100,000 in funding provided by the NSW Office of Sport needs to be formally accounted for before 30 June 2025. Discussions are reportedly ongoing between Council staff and the NSW Office of Sport regarding this remaining financial support.
Cost Concerns
While Council maintains that the overall cost of the pool’s completion remains within the initially forecasted $122 million, the number of variation claims submitted by Icon has raised concerns.
To date, Icon has submitted over $140 million in variation claims, including 435 formal submissions and another 111 claims, valued at $4.4 million, that are still under assessment. The report to Council anticipates that these types of claims will continue to be submitted as the project concludes due to ongoing design and contractual matters.
What the New Pool Will Offer
Once the extensive redevelopment is complete, the North Sydney Olympic Pool will offer a range of significantly upgraded facilities for the community. These include a new grandstand with seating for 970 spectators, a 50-metre outdoor pool, a family-friendly leisure pool with water play features, updated change rooms, a gymnasium, a crèche, a 25-metre indoor pool, a warm water pool, spa and sauna facilities, an internal café, a retail shop, and a refurbished ‘Ripples Cafe’.
Published Date 09-May-2025