Andrew (Boy) Charlton pool at Woolloomooloo Bay will close its doors on Tuesday for an estimated 16 months while important upgrades are undertaken.
Popular among Sydney’s gay community, the pool usually closes in May for the winter months but this year it won’t re-open. Instead, swimmers will have to wait until September 2025 to visit it next.
The closure, at 8pm on Tuesday, comes against a backdrop of miserably rainy and overcast weather in Sydney, making a last-minute dip undesirable for many.
A City of Sydney spokesperson previously said the upgrades will include replacing the tiles and waterproof membrane of the main pool and a smaller one on the same site.
“The scope of work will also see essential maintenance carried out on the pool’s concrete and steel structure, with a new lift and decking also installed,” the spokesperson said.
One of the other big tasks being completed is replacing the gas heating system with electric heat pumps as part of the city’s goal to reach net zero emissions by 2035.
“All of our operations are powered by 100 per cent renewable electricity and transitioning away from polluting fossil fuels will be crucial to reducing emissions in the city’s operations,” Sydney Lord Mayor Clover Moore said on Instagram when news of the pool’s closure became more widely known.
Moore defended the length of the pool’s closure after The Sydney Morning Herald newspaper first revealed how long the upgrades would take.
“Anyone who tells you this is a simple job that can or should happen more quickly should not be trusted with the ongoing maintenance of the City’s world-class facilities,” she said.
The pool last underwent a major refurbishment in 2011 but there are concerns that the upgrades could take longer. While it is run by another council, the North Sydney Olympic Pool has been closed since February 2021 for a rebuild that was meant to be completed by November 2022.
North Sydney Olympic Pool is now not expected to re-open until 2025 and is estimated to cost more than $100 million against an original budget of $64 million.
Fortunately, there are other pools available for Sydney’s community, including the nearby Prince Alfred Park pool, which is open all year round.
The pool has a grassy knoll and is a popular alternative to the ABC pool. There is also the popular Redleaf Beach, and for lap swimmers there is the indoor Cook + Phillip Park Pool in the CBD.
Eliot Hastie is a senior news producer at Channel Ten, reporting on a range of general stories, specialising in foreign affairs and LGBTQ+ stories. He’s also a reporter for Gay Sydney News, where he covers LGBTQIA+ culture, politics and nightlife. He previously helped to build and launch ausbiz, Australia's only live streaming finance news channel, where he was also an executive producer and host. He has previously worked as a finance and business journalist for publications including Fintech Business, Real Estate Business and other Momentum Media titles. Eliot holds a journalism degree from the University of Westminster and brings experience in both broadcast and digital reporting. Contact Eliot: eliot.hastie@gaysydneynews.com.au
