World · East Asia & Pacific · 17 hrs ago
Sydney pool closures leave residents waiting years to swim
Ten of Sydney’s 76 public pools are closed for redevelopment, leaving hundreds of thousands of people without a local pool this summer.
Many are in western, north-western and south-western Sydney, where residents may have few nearby alternatives.
At Carss Park, Kogarah War Memorial Pool has been closed since 2019 after leaking pipes were found, and its replacement is due to open in late 2027.
The new pool is expected to cost $62 million, while a Sydney-wide rebuild of the 10 closed pools is estimated at $531 million.
Rising costs and complex work have delayed projects, including pools where asbestos or structural problems were discovered.
Long closures can disrupt swimming lessons and clubs, and access to swimming lessons matters for children’s safety: about 40 per cent of children leaving primary school cannot swim 50 metres.
Canterbury Leisure and Aquatic Centre has reopened after more than three years of closure, while other pool projects are still under way.
Hundreds of thousands of people in fast-growing parts of Sydney will be without a local pool this summer as aquatic centres close for redevelopment.
Some residents face waits of up to seven years, while a Herald analysis found rebuilding 10 closed pools would cost a combined $531 million.
Kogarah War Memorial Pool at Carss Park has been closed since 2019 and is due to reopen in late 2027.
The closures have disrupted recreational swimming and swimming lessons, with experts warning that children without pool access face greater drowning risks.
- Who
- Residents in parts of Sydney, including families and children who rely on public pools.
- What
- Public pools have closed for redevelopment, leaving residents without nearby places to swim.
- When
- The closures affect this summer; some residents have waited up to seven years.
- Where
- Fast-growing areas of Sydney, particularly the north-west, south-west and west, as well as Carss Park in south Sydney.
- Why
- Ageing aquatic centres are being replaced, with councils citing construction costs, project complexity and ongoing maintenance costs.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
Kogarah War Memorial Pool at Carss Park closed after old pipes were found leaking into waterways.
Willoughby Leisure Centre pool closed for redevelopment.
Canterbury Leisure and Aquatic Centre closed to residents.
Canterbury Leisure and Aquatic Centre reopened, more than $25 million over its original budget.
The new $62 million Carss Park pool is expected to reopen.
- Sydney public pools analysed
- 76
- Pools closed for redevelopment
- 10
- Combined rebuilding cost
- $531 million
- Carss Park pool reopening
- Late 2027
- Willoughby pool cost blowout
- $26 million
- Canterbury centre final cost
- $70 million
What people are saying
Unless you’re a passionate parent, and you really want to get your kids to have the life-saving skill of swimming, you’re really at a loss, aren’t you?
most divisive issue
It breaks the chain: Schools that have been using a pool for generations, those bookings drop out, and we’re not sure whether they return.