The Reopening of the Sidney Pools
As Sydneysiders gear up for another summer of outdoor swimming, it’s worth remembering the city’s pool culture began in the 1920s at a remarkable location. The Andrew “Boy” Charlton Pool is an eight-lane, heated salt water 50-metre pool situated at The Domain. It’s named in honour of Australian swimmer Andrew “Boy” Charlton, who won five Olympic medals during the 1920s and was a resident of Woolloomoloo Bay. This is the third pool to be built at the site, which was previously a Victorian-era bathing establishment known as the Gentlemen’s Baths.
There are few things more frustrating for a local government project manager than a cost blowout or logistical difficulty. It’s the sort of challenge that often sees governments going cap in hand to taxpayers to ask for money. It’s also the sort of challenge that can cause a local swimming pool to shut down – something that happened at North Sydney Olympic Pool in February 2021.
With the onset of the Covid pandemic, local swimming pools have struggled to stay open. A shortage of lifeguards and a lack of pool chemicals has seen many close down or limit their opening hours to save on staffing costs. While this makes sense on a commercial basis, it has left kids without access to swimming lessons and families forced to swim in dangerous river, lake or dam waters. Royal Life Saving NSW warns this could lead to more drowning deaths.
It’s why councils must rethink how they use their precious pools. The reopening of the Sidney Water Park is a case in point. The facility, which sits on the northern edge of the city and features spectacular views of the Sydney Harbour Bridge and Opera House, is set to be a major drawcard this summer. It will feature a lazy river that can be programmed for therapeutic or resistance training, plus a variety of recreational activities.
Aside from being a fantastic place to soak up the city’s stunning coastline, the Water Park is also home to two 50-metre pools. Designed to be used year-round, the pools can accommodate up to 2,000 swimmers at one time and feature state-of-the-art technology, including thermal and mechanical heating and filtration systems. The Water Park will be operated by the City of Sydney and includes a range of other facilities to boost wellbeing and fitness. It will be opened to the public from Saturday after Memorial Day until just before Labor Day. It will be staffed with a Water Park Manager, Assistant Manager and a team of 25 lifeguards. All construction and operation must be in accordance with federal, state and local laws and codes. SS 185-4 Definitions and general regulations. SS 185-5 Regulations for construction, installation and location of private swimming pools. SS 185-6 Regulations for portable pools. SS 185-9 Penalties for offenses.