Mayor Zoe Baker,a strident critic of the former administration’s handling of the redevelopment,said the additional $20 million was shocking.
“But it is unsurprising. These are the ongoing financial impacts of poor decision-making by the previous council,” she said.
The project has been characterised byballooning costs,protracted delays, and controversies stemming from itsscale and design,andconcerns about destruction of heritage.
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The pool closed in February 2021,when the revamp was predicted to cost $58 million,and originally due to be finished in late 2022.
In November,the council revealed a steel roof frame for the 25-metre indoor pool had to be pulled down due to a “significant” design and construction problem.
A project update for February’s council meeting said the disassembled steel could not be reused,which had caused delays. The extent of the delays were still being assessed;however,it was estimated the additional wait “could extend completion of construction to late 2024/early 2025”.