North Sydney Olympic Pool
Designed by architects Rudder & Grout in the Inter-War Free Classical style with art deco-style decorations, the Olympic-sized outdoor pool was built on part of the Dorman Long workshop site following the completion of the Harbour Bridge. The pool opened on 4 April, 1936, and hosted the swimming and diving events for the 1938 Empire Games. Heating was added in 2000 and a 25-metre (82 ft) indoor pool was built in 2001.
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.
In 1960, at the Australian National Swimming Championships and Olympic Trials, the most world records were set in a single pool at a single meet ever. It is worth noting that this may be because the pool is filled with saltwater, rather than chlorinated pool water, which provides more buoyancy for athletes due to its increased density.
It closed on 28 February 2021 to allow for the construction of a replacement pool and associated buildings. It was scheduled to reopen in 2023 but this has been further delayed to April 2024.
The delays and cost overruns prompted North Sydney Council to engage PwC to undertake an independent review of the project. 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.
References
- ^ About the Olympic Pool North Sydney Council
- ^ "North Sydney Olympic Pool". New South Wales Heritage Database. Office of Environment & Heritage. Retrieved 5 January 2019.
- ^ "Milsons Point". Archived from the original on 3 February 2014. Retrieved 30 January 2014.
- ^ "HASSELL - Project - North Sydney Olympic Pool". Hassell. Retrieved 5 January 2019.
- ^ "Historical Records". North Sydney Council. Retrieved 5 January 2019.
- ^ Olympic Pool Redevelopment North Sydney Council
- ^ Grave concerns: North Sydney orders probe into pool revamp Sydney Morning Herald 11 October 2022
- ^ Megan Gorrey (1 May 2023). "'I told you so': Recriminations fly over $89m North Sydney pool revamp". Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 3 May 2023.
External links
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