Phillip swimming pool has failed to reopen, despite new owner Geocon recently announcing it would welcome back swimmers from Monday morning.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Geocon announced on Friday that the Phillip Swimming and Ice Skating Centre - which has been closed for two summers - would reopen at 6am on Monday, November 6. However, the gates remained closed and swimmers were turned away.
Some were very frustrated after they paid for parking.
A manager told swimmers the pool was closed because there were no lifeguards and it had not been heated.
Outdoor pools at Dickson's aquatic centre, Manuka Pool and Canberra Olympic Pool in the city opened on October 28. Belgravia Leisure has taken over operation of those public pools this year.
READ MORE:
Just three days earlier, Geocon had said the pool was going to reopen. It had said pool would be open for general swimming from 8am to 6pm Monday to Friday, and from 9am to 6pm Saturday and Sunday. It had also said it was looking for more casual lifeguards.
The building company bought the site last December.
Since then, a spokeswoman said, Geocon had been "working extremely hard on the rectification works on the pool". It had been working on the facility, fixing cracks in the main pool, painting the pools and renovating the change rooms.
Sports Minister Yvette Berry earlier this year said Phillip pool was expected to open in early November, according to a letter she wrote to a concerned resident.
An email sent by Ms Berry to the resident said the minister had met members of Geocon in January and "Geocon indicated repairs to the pool would be completed in time for the facility to open in early November 2023 (as per the requirements of the crown lease)".
