6 July 2026
North Sydney Olympic Pool is set to reopen on August 7, marking the long-awaited completion of a redevelopment project that has experienced years of delays and rising costs. For Mayor Zoe Baker, who spent her own childhood swimming at the pool and is still an active swimmer, the reopening is a moment of personal and community wide significance.
Despite the new bells and whistles added during the redevelopment, Baker’s favourite feature remains “It’s hard when you’re a swimmer to go past the 50-metre outdoor pool. It’s where I learnt to swim, it’s where I do swimming classes. But it’s also where I’ve done thousands and thousands of laps,” she told journalists at a pool side press conference.
“The sound of the train going across the Harbour Bridge as you do those laps, I think is the sound of North Sydney Pool.” Baker added.
The redevelopment, which began in March 2021 with an initial budget of $64 million, has been plagued by repeated delays, roughly 3 years and 9 months overdue. While the council has not yet confirmed the final figure, costs are expected to exceed the $122 million budget set in 2024, with a court case between the council and contractor ICON still active.
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Mayor Baker, who voted against the project over 23 times during its planning and construction phases, acknowledged the financial strain the project has placed on the council.
“The reality is that putting $120 million into a single asset has been a massive opportunity cost, and the opportunity cost of that is measurable. It’s a $157 million dollar backlog in asset renewal,” she said. “I think it’s fair to say that we’re in a very careful, financial care phase because of the impact the pool has had on the finances.”
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Despite the fiscal controversy that spans three terms of council, the Mayor believes the finished product will serve the community for generations to come. She emphasises the pool’s role as one of the last remaining “democratic third spaces”—public environments where socioeconomic status is set aside.
“I think like all local pools, they’re vital. They’re one of the last of the truly democratic third spaces that we have,” she said. “They’re public spaces where no matter where you’re from, how much you earn, they’re all the same in the swimming costumes. They’re really vital to a place for connection, a place to learn to swim, a place for wellbeing.”
Reflecting on the design, Mayor Baker noted that while the facilities have been upgraded to include a modern gym, steam room, and sauna, the precinct has retained the characteristics.
“The heritage pool, the incredible sculptures of frogs and wildlife, and the essence of the pool are still here to be discerned,” she said. “You are in the most iconic Art Deco precinct in the country. I think you’re bound by the Harbour Bridge and Luna Park. And the heritage staircase and that heritage wall give you a real sense of heritage, but also of a more human scale.”
Looking ahead, the council has implemented new governance and financial policies intended to ensure that future infrastructure projects avoid the pitfalls encountered on this project. However, for now, the focus shifts to celebration.
“There’s a huge celebration planned on the opening weekend,” Mayor Baker said. “From the 7th of August into Sunday the 9th of August, there will be free access for everyone. And there will be all sorts of activations and fun things to do.”
As the community prepares to return, the Mayor remains optimistic that the site’s historical charm and utility will eventually outweigh the challenges of its construction. “I think that it will serve this community for the next 80 to 100 years. And I think once people come back in the doors, they’ll be really excited.”