Hopes dashed in pool project 'bellyflop'

On January 1, local dad Scott Spiers headed over to Helensburgh Pool, but he didn’t bother taking his swimmers.

“I had been monitoring it, but you could tell that it wasn't going to be open,” he said.

“There's trees that have been planted that were protruding partially from the ground, deteriorating grass that's dying, not being watered. The place is just littered with piles of dirt and materials and rubbish. And the fence was actually open, and I witnessed children inside the pool [job site area].

“I actually said to them, ‘Guys, it's not safe in there. You need to get out.’ And they did. So, I reported that to council, and they put some cable ties on the fence, which isn't secure.”

Today, swimmers' fears about the project's progress were confirmed when Wollongong City Council announced late on Friday afternoon that, due to a supply chain problem and a delay in the delivery of essential tiles, the pool would not reopen until "mid-to-late February 2026".

For months – since local GP Dr Trevor Kemper raised the spectre of a “cruel” summer pool closure and criticised council for not planning works over winter – anger has been building over the management of Helensburgh Pool.  

“I’d suggest better planning and more fine-tuned management would result in a happier and healthier community, and a pool that is open throughout its planned season, and ideally an extended season,” Dr Kemper told the Flame last August.

Today, with the late reopening set to affect school swimming carnivals, Helensburgh locals vented their frustration on council's Facebook page. "Is this a joke" asked one; "incredibly disappointing" said another. A local parent said the project had been "terribly handled" and advised people  to "let council know how unhappy you are with your vote".

Scott described the delay as another "bellyflop" by council in the pool saga. "When you do a bellyflop, it's not desirable. You get hurt. It shows that you might be a bit incompetent with jumping in a pool or doing things. So I think it's a good metaphor."

In November 2022, Wollongong City Council received $3.2 million in state funding for Helensburgh sports facilities – including sports field lights and swimming pool repairs – but council did not start work on the pool until almost three years later, in August 2025. 

Refurbishment of the bushland town’s pool has included fixing up the 25m and toddlers’ pools via structural remediation, resealing the construction joints, a full repaint and retiling. New shade sails, bubblers and sandstone seating are also part of the upgrade. 

Improvements in the amenities building have included a new adult accessible change facility. Council has also received $84,280 in Commonwealth funding as part of the Accessible Australia program to build changing facilities for people with a disability.

The deadline for spending the main state grant – from the NSW Office of Sport's Multisport Community Facility Fund – was 30 December 2025 and Council told residents that while pool repairs had to go ahead, works would be complete by the “January summer peak”. 

'Should have been done two winters ago' – NF1 convenor

Council told Neighbourhood Forum 1 that the pool project was on track and had three wet weather days up its sleeve, an update shared with about 40 people who attended the group's November 12 meeting.

NF1 also told attendees it had learned that council did not request an extension so works could be delayed until winter 2026.

The group’s volunteer convenor, Warwick Erwin, told the Flame: “The council have lost the trust of the community. This project should have been done two winters ago.

“The community’s trust in council is degraded even further with council not completing the pool in time for the peak summer season, as they had promised.” 

Call to extend pool season

Scott Spiers – who is part of new group 2508 Collaborate, formed after November's NF1 meeting – is calling for the pool to stay open for a month longer this swim season “to compensate for the loss and poor performance of Council”. 

A council spokesperson told the Flame: “Council is yet to make any determination on the merits or practicality of extending the swim season at this stage.”

On the current state of the site, the spokesperson said: “Landscaping restoration works are not yet complete. The damaged lawn will be re-turfed and garden area restored as part of the works once construction is completed, and prior to opening.”

Pool is a ‘community hub’

Feelings have run high over the pool, and not only because residents have missed their local free swim spot in a sweltering summer.

“The pool’s the glue for the community, we gather there and we socialise,” Scott said. “I feel like we haven't seen our friends as much this year.

“There's plenty of people complaining about their lack of swimming and exercise, the impacts on their mental health.

“It's not just a pool. It's a lifeline and it's a community hub.”

'How are we supposed to move on'

“At the NF1 meeting in November, Councillor Dan Hayes told the room that we needed to move on from the past and try and look to the future, which I actually agree with," Scott said.

“But the response now is, how are we supposed to move on from the past, when this is just history repeating itself? The community aren't surprised. They're all just ‘this is business as usual’.”

A landscape architect by profession, Scott has also written to council about the installation of black shade sails. 

“Black is a hot colour, which means it will increase the heat underneath the shade umbrella,” he said, adding that plans with images of “nice, beige shade sails and yellow umbrellas” had created an expectation. 

“It's just misleading,” Scott said.

A Council spokesperson said: “The community consultation plan showed possible inclusions including umbrella and shade structures. The images were representative of typical street furniture and not a commitment to a particular structure or colour. The consultation plan included a note that ‘materials and finishes are subject to change as the project design continues’.”

Lord Mayor acknowledges 'frustration'

In announcing the delay to the pool's reopening today, Lord Mayor of Wollongong Councillor Tania Brown said: “We know it’s not what the community wanted to hear, and it’s not news we wanted to deliver.

“We’ve looked at every option we can to claw back time following the delay in tiles arriving, but our top priority is ensuring we do ultimately deliver a facility that is reliable and fit for purpose in 20 years’ time and beyond.

“The frustration this will cause is understandable, but we don’t want to compromise any aspect of the overall works to save a relatively short period of time in the final stretch of the project. We appreciate the community bearing with us and enduring some short-term pain for a long-term gain."

Have your say

Council is currently calling for feedback on its aquatics and indoor sports survey, giving residents a chance to have their say and drive council’s strategy for the next 20 years.

A council spokesperson said: “Helensburgh Pool is included in the currently live Aquatic and Indoor Sports Strategy survey, and we encourage all residents of Helensburgh and surrounding suburbs to complete this survey. 

“Postcards and posters with QR codes linking to the survey are available at Helensburgh Library and online."

This consultation closes on 8 February.