"The council will continue dealing with financial and other legacies of the pool, but users will enjoy returning." – North Sydney Mayor Zoë Baker
The North Sydney Olympic Pool, a beloved art deco landmark nestled under the Harbour Bridge, is finally set to reopen after a major refurbishment plagued by years of delays and cost escalations.
A Historic Pool, A Troubled Renovation
Originally opened in 1936, the pool closed for its long-awaited refurbishment in 2021. The project was initially slated for completion in 2022, but has faced repeated setbacks. The total cost has now ballooned to $122 million.
Builders are expected to formally hand the site back within the next two to three weeks. After that, eight to ten weeks of preparation work will be needed before the public can return to the water. A recent setback involved the harbor water intake pipes, which required rework after it was discovered they could not pump sufficient volume. Mayor Baker attributed the problem to "too many turns" in the pipe design.
The New Look: Heritage Meets Modern
The refurbishment has carefully balanced preservation with new amenities.
- Restored Artwork: Painters are currently restoring the heritage stucco seashell reliefs, applying bright colors that match the original 1930s design.
- Preserved Original Sections: The southern wall, complete with its sundeck, has been retained.
- Authentic Materials: The pool's outer rim uses terracotta-colored bricks that match surviving 1930s bricks.
- New Frog Motif: A frog motif on new structures mimics the original reliefs found on the surviving eastern stair tower.
- Tile Reconstruction: The children’s outdoor pool tiling has been carefully reconstructed from a slab of concrete that was stored at a council depot.
Added Amenities and Design Details
- Fitness Upgrade: A new gym and pilates studio have been added in a basement level under the rebuilt grandstand, created by excavating into the hillside.
- Art Deco Echoes: The new changing area concrete walls feature seashell reliefs that echo the pool's art deco heritage.
- Flexible Pool Design: A new hinged wall in the center of the pool allows it to be converted between one 50-metre pool and two 25-metre pools. This innovation increases the lane count from 8 to a maximum of 16.
A Preview for Champions
Construction fencing was temporarily removed to allow for a charity event hosted by the Klim Foundation, established by Olympic gold medalist Michael Klim. The event gave former Olympic swimmers, including Ian Thorpe and Daniel Kowalski, a first look at the refurbished facility. While the pool has been refilled, only the filtration system cleaning team has entered the water so far. The construction fencing will be reinstalled until all work is complete.