Michael Klim Draws First Look at North Sydney Pool Before Reopening
michael klim’s foundation brought former Olympic swimmers inside the refurbished North Sydney Pool before it reopens after years of delays. The art deco venue under the Harbour Bridge has been closed since 2021, and the visit came as builders move toward handing the site back.
Ian Thorpe at North Sydney
A host of former Olympic swimmers were treated to a first look at the pool at the charity event, including Ian Thorpe and Daniel Kowalski. Klim established the foundation after his diagnosis with the rare auto-immune disease CIDP, and the gathering doubled as a fundraising campaign for it.
The pool first opened in 1936 and was due to reopen in 2022 after a major refurbishment began in 2021. The project’s costs have reached $122m, and the new look includes rebuilt sections alongside surviving original fabric.
Zoë Baker on the delay
North Sydney mayor Zoë Baker said the builders will formally hand back the site in the next two to three weeks. After that, it will take eight to 10 weeks to get the pool ready for the public.
Baker said, “There were too many turns in the pipes so they had to redo it to make certain that it pumped at the right volume.” The harbour-water pipes that fill the pools and heat the outdoor pool to 26C had to be rebuilt, and the remaining work includes painting heritage stucco seashell reliefs in the bright colours of the original design.
Pool changes for swimmers
The refurbishment also added a new gym and pilates studio in a basement level underneath the rebuilt grandstand. A hinged wall in the centre of the pool now allows one 50m pool to become two 25m pools, creating 16 lanes from eight.
The pool has already been refilled, but only the team that cleans the filtration system has been in the water so far. Construction fencing was put back up after the charity event, a reminder that the first look for Olympians came before any public swimming begins.
