19 March 2026
The reopening of the North Sydney Olympic Pool has been pushed back again, with council papers indicating the project is now unlikely to reach practical completion until mid-April 2026 at the earliest, subject to resolution of outstanding commissioning issues.
A report for the 23 March North Sydney Council meeting shows construction is substantially complete, with contractor Icon focused on final testing, commissioning and defect rectification required to secure an Occupation Certificate and enable handover.
A design and construction issue affecting the seawater intake pumps has delayed commissioning of the 50m pool’s top-up water system, which is required for certification. The pumps are expected to be operational by the end of March, with practical completion currently anticipated in mid-April.
Icon has not yet applied for practical completion, as this step is contingent on the Occupation Certificate being issued. While the contractual completion date remains 19 July 2024, the actual completion date is yet to be determined.
A number of other factors are also being managed as part of project close-out. More than 1,100 quality matters remain open across the site, including items under rectification, awaiting inspection or in dispute. Council indicates these will reduce as final inspections and sign-offs progress.
Variation claims submitted by the contractor also remain under assessment. A total of 834 claims have been lodged, with a submitted value of $10.89m, although not all are expected to be agreed. Council believes the overall project remains within the $122m forecast budget, but that outstanding variations and associated costs will need to be resolved.
Project timing has also required extensions to consultancy agreements and insurance coverage into April 2026, reflecting the current expectation for completion.
Legal proceedings involving council, the contractor and the project architect are ongoing, though the report states these are not expected to affect onsite progress or handover.
Operational preparations for opening are well advanced, including staff onboarding, program development and procurement of equipment. A 12-week marketing campaign is planned to commence following practical completion.
The report indicates the project has progressed to final stages but remains dependent on completion of commissioning, certification and contractual close-out processes before an opening date can be confirmed.