Court battle looms over $89 million North Sydney Olympic Pool redevelopment.

By ANNA USHER

North Sydney Council will commence legal proceedings against the architects contracted to transform the suburbs’ iconic Olympic pool.

After mediation talks collapsed, Council last night voted to take Brewster Hjorth Architects (BHA) to court over the controversial project, which has been plagued by lengthy delays, cost blowouts, heritage concerns and claims of pork barrelling.

The move follows a closed-door meeting on Monday where councillors debated a confidential executive report recommending legal action against BHA.

“The decision is based on the consideration of legal advice by Councillors and follows a dispute resolution process between Council and BHA, which ultimately did not resolve the dispute,” a spokesperson confirmed with Mosman Collective.

Originally projected to cost $58 million, North Sydney Pool closed in February 2021, with local swimmers expecting to return to the water the following year.

Four years later, the upgrade has blown out to $89.1 million, with the final cost expected to be over $100 million.

Last year, Council said the reopening had again been delayed until 2025 after a steel roof frame for the 25-metre indoor pool had to be pulled down due to a “significant” design and construction problem.

A recent project update said construction was progressing, but replacing the roof was causing delays.

After the “practical completion” of the pool early next year, the update noted, the Council would need an additional” two to three months” to make the pool operational.

The executive report confirms that the “council continues to receive variations associated with latent conditions, along with design and construction-related issues”.

In February, Council took out a $20 million loan to help fund the upgrades. Mayor Zoe Baker has previously said the loan would likely push the project cost to over $100 million.

Built in 1936, it took North Sydney Council less than a year to develop and open the Rudder and Grout-designed pool on a former construction site for the Sydney Harbour Bridge.

It became the most famous pool in Depression-era Australia, cementing our dominance as a swimming nation. Dawn Fraser, Murray Rose, Lorraine Crapp, Ilsa Konrads and Shane Gould all swam to glory there. Eighty-six world records were set in its blue waters between 1953 and 1978.

“North Sydney Olympic Pool is an iconic site, and Council’s focus has been and remains on ensuring that the redevelopment project is delivered to a high standard so that the facility can once again be enjoyed by everyone,” the spokesperson told Mosman Collective.

“We are confident the legal proceedings will not impact current timelines for the completion of the refurbishment, which is slated for early 2025.”