Frequently Asked Questions

Since the pool closed on 19 November 2022, the following works have been completed:  

• Site establishment 
• Demolition of the old pool hall  
• Construction of new piles to support the pool hall (see more information on piling below in question below on construction challenges)  
• Structural retaining wall on the site’s north-eastern boundary
• Below ground backwash tanks for the 25m and program pools 
• Implementation of Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) approved Asbestos Management Plan protocols with excavation and removal of some asbestos contaminated soil.
• Capping of contaminated soil on 50% of the site 
• Construction of the main plant room concrete slab including service conduits 
• New stormwater line in Small Street
• Passive sub-cap landfill gas ventilation installation
• Preparation work for northern boundary planter box 

 Work on the site is continuing. The current focus of work includes: 

• Formwork and steel reinforcement of the concrete slab over the plant room, and construction of the plant room 
• Detailed excavation of the program pool 
• Continued implementation of Asbestos Management Plan including capping of contamination soil on the northern portion of the site as excavation and spoil removal continues (see more information in question below on asbestos issues). 

The Willoughby Leisure Centre is located at the northern end of Bicentennial Reserve. Bicentennial Reserve is former municipal waste facility that was operating and accepting waste from the 1930s through to 1985.  

While the centre building looks like it is supported by the existing underground fill, from a structural point of view it is actually supported by piles up to 14m deep which are driven through this fill and into the underlying rock structure.   

Due to the site’s history, before commencing construction, Council undertook a range of extensive testing and investigations to determine underground conditions (see more information below in question six on due diligence). 

However, this testing could only be undertaken in the periphery of the main pool shell, but not directly under the pools themselves, given the limited physical access.  

Once works at the site were underway and the former pool hall (and pools) were emptied and removed, it was realised there were a range of unforeseen issues. 

These issues included: 

• The discovery that many of the original structural piles did not have the structural bearing capacity that was originally anticipated. This meant that 263 additional piles have had to be installed, and the new pool hall’s structural base re-designed, to support the hall. 
• The discovery of large quantities of asbestos contaminated soil which was not anticipated, resulting in increased costs in relation to waste disposal 
• The need to install an additional 44 piles and an increase in the length of the structural retaining wall on the north-eastern side of the site to retain existing Flat Rock Drive embankment.  

Given the above issues, it is anticipated that the pool will re-open in 2025, rather than mid-2024 as originally anticipated. 

It is not possible to give a more precise opening date in 2025 until a revised construction program is established. 

The project budget when construction commenced was $38.86m, and this was to be funded through existing Council reserves, developer contributions and a NSW Government grant.

While the above-mentioned construction challenges will have cost implications, Council is not in a position at this time to announce an updated total project budget, or any funding sources for any budget changes. 

Council is continuing to work with its builder (Belmadar) on this issue, to achieve the best community outcome. 

Any negotiated time and cost variances will not compromise the quality of the upgraded centre. 

Prior to issuing the construction tender, Council undertook due diligence including:   

• 2017: Revised and reduced the size and location of the project to mitigate risk  
• 2018: Geotechnical investigations and Quantity Surveyor costings  
• 2020: Hazardous material, soil assessment and chemical audit, Quantity Surveyor costings 
• 2022: Existing pool pile foundation investigations undertaken (limited by the presence of the existing structure on site). 

Despite pre-construction testing, asbestos contamination was found in the soil after the demolition of the former pool hall.  

This find has led to the implementation of strict hygiene and management protocols in accordance with the NSW EPA (Environment Protection Authority) approved Asbestos Management Plan (AMP). 

On-site control measures include a specialist consultant hygienist, air monitoring, dust suppression, use of personal protective equipment for all workers, decanting and soil stockpiling.  

Surrounding residents along with updates on Council’s web page have informed of the presence of asbestos on site and the risk is being professionally managed, but this does slow the construction process due to necessary safety precautions being undertaken. 

The discovery of asbestos means a significant amount of spoil has been reclassified from General Solid Waste (non-putrescible) to Special Waste - Asbestos. This involves a different disposal method which is regulated by the NSW EPA and has increased management and disposal costs 

The Asbestos Management Plan can be found in the Supporting Documents section on this page.

The NSW Environment Protection Authority has provided authorisation to exhume the landfill waste, after consideration of site’s Asbestos Management Plan. 

Both the design services and construction contracts went to open tender and were subject to a rigorous procurement assessment process and independent probity review.  

Council appointed a Quantity Surveyor who has been involved with the project since the design stage. This role has included reviewing tender prices, interim payment claims and all variations for their validity and value for money. 

It is not feasible to stop the construction process now, given this will mean the Willoughby community will be without a functioning pool hall for the foreseeable future.

In January 2024, Council endorsed applying (to the NSW Government) for a 15% rate increase. 

This rate increase will assist Council’s ongoing financial sustainability and improving public area maintenance and tree canopy management. 

The SRV is not related to this project, which when commenced had a budget of $38.86m and was funded through existing Council reserves, developer contributions and a NSW Government grant. 

Throughout the construction phase, risks are being managed via a Construction Environment Management Plan (CEMP).  

Belmadar, Council’s appointed construction company has prepared this CEMP, which has also been approved by Council’s appointed certifier.  

The CEMP can be found in the Supporting Documents section of this page.

Following investigations overseen by the NSW Environment Protection Authority, Bicentennial Reserve and Flat Rock Gully were declared as significantly contaminated land in October 2023.   

Prior to this classification, a range of environmental testing was undertaken which included testing for dangerous materials which included, dioxins, chromium and PFAS (Per- and Polyfluorinated Substances), none of which were at levels that would cause concern for humans. 

However, the testing discovered slightly elevated levels of ammonia, which is a naturally occurring substance, but not at these concentrations. While Council will continue to monitor ammonia levels, to date there has been no evidence of potential or actual impacts to ecological health (such as marine life in nearby waterways) from ammonia at the site.  

There are no known potential risks to human health from the ammonia at the detected levels. 

The pool hall improvements will include:  

• A refurbished eight-lane 25m pool, providing optimal depths and temperatures for lap swimmers
• A new four-lane 20m learn to swim pool, with optimal temperature and depth 
• A new and dedicated warm water four-lane 20m program pool, which will be used for rehabilitation, therapy and fitness classes  
• A new spa and sauna adjoining the pool deck 
• A new family change room  
• An improved water filtration system, to reduce water wastage and energy use and mitigate contamination issues  
• A refurbished roof 
• New accessibility features for all pools to support people with mobility restrictions 

The indoor court improvements will include a new roof and external wall cladding, delivering a more reliable all weather playing environment for centre users.  

The communal facility improvements will include:  

• A refurbished entry area, which will allow the centre to serve around 30 per cent more users at peak times 
• New sustainability features, including solar photo-voltaic systems and rainwater harvesting, delivering a 5 Star (Australian Excellence) Green Star rating 
• A new crèche outdoor area, allowing it to cater for around 75 per cent more children, allowing more young families to use the centre 

Most parts of the centre will be upgraded.  

This follows the Council, in mid-2022, receiving a $5m NSW Government funding boost allowing Council to upgrade the centre’s indoor sports courts alongside the already proposed and approved pool hall improvements.  

New flooring and fans have also been installed in the gym, in works separate to the upgrade project.  

The WLC was built in the 1980s and opened to the public in 1989. The building was aging and requiring significant maintenance costs. The old facilities were no longer meeting the needs of the existing and growing community.

Environmentally sustainable features are being prioritised in the design to reduce the building’s carbon footprint. The new pool hall development design is being benchmarked to 5 star (Australian Excellence) Green Star rating, targeting a total of 74 points (65 points plus 9 innovation points). The life-cycle of the new pool areas is expected to be at least 30 years. 

The pool upgrade will include the following sustainability measures:  

• Efficiency improvements in the building envelope, wall-glazing construction, lighting, air-conditioning and domestic hot water, which equate to a 30% improvement in energy efficiency compared to other new buildings.  
• Water efficiency measures including the installation of new water filtration technology Ultra Fine Filtration (UFF), UV pool water disinfection, water-efficient fittings and fixtures. 
• Rainwater collection and reuse with pool backwash water usage reduction and on-site detention to reduce stormwater discharge. 
• Installation of two roof top solar photo-voltaic systems totalling 500kW. One of these systems will produce enough electricity to power 50 ‘typical’ Willoughby homes.  
• Electric vehicle charging facilities encouraging more sustainable transport uptake via the provision of active transport facilities. 

Other initiatives include improvements to indoor environment quality by selecting low indoor pollutant emitting materials, reducing the embodied energy impacts of the building by selecting more sustainable materials and a focus on inclusion through occupant engagement and universal design. 

Council has already installed an innovative electric heat pump to supply hot water for the upgraded pool hall. In addition to being highly efficient, the plant uses CO2 as its refrigerant. As other, more harmful refrigerants get phased out from use in Australia, CO2 will continue to be cheap and easy to obtain. 

Council is committed to giving everyone in the community fair and equal access to services and facilities. The commitment is established in Council’s Disability Inclusion Action Plan.  

The design for the new facility has been developed in line with universal design principles, which support the philosophy of accessibility. 

New accessible features and enhancements to achieve compliance with statutory access standards (AS1428) include: 

• Upgraded signage 
• Luminance contrast to doorways and stair nosing 
• Upgraded handrails for stairs into Pool Hall 
• Additional accessible parking spaces 
• Tactile floor surface indicators 
• Accessible toilet 
• Accessible changing space 
• Accessible water entry/exit to all pools 
• AS1428.1 compliant switches, controls and door hardware 
• Wheelchair spectator spaces at the grandstand 
• Platform lift for circulation from Entry Level to Pool Level 
• Design elements above the Australian Standards 1428 are: 
• Wheelchair accessible path from street / accessible parking to pools. 
• Additional accessible parking provided next to Main Entrance 
• Circulation from Small Street and accessible parking spaces to Main Entrance upgraded to be wheelchair accessible 
• Wheelchair accessible automatic entry gates into Centre 
• Automatic doors to Pool Hall from the lower platform lift landing 
• Accessible change and toilet facilities placed within the Pool Hall 
• Automatic doors to accessible changing space 
• Automatic door to the accessible toilet 
• Automatic door to Courtyard Garden 
• Braille provided to all signage 
• Equitable evacuation provided for all occupants from Pool Hall - i.e. wheelchair accessible evacuation route from Pool Hall 
• A range of enhanced and additional provisions provided in the accessible toilets and change rooms - including help call buttons, wheelchair-height fixtures, etc. 
• Ramped water entry/exit for most pools to enable unassisted access for a wider range of mobility challenged patrons. 

There are several reasons in favour of the construction of a 25 metre pool, instead of a 50m pool. 

Firstly, due to site constraints, the inclusion of a 50 metre pool would mean we could not include two separate and complementary pools for learn-to-swim classes and for rehabilitation, therapy and fitness class programs. There are good reasons why these pools should be included (see below). 

Secondly, building a 50 metre pool would also lead to higher initial and ongoing costs and lower visitor numbers compared with a 25 metre pool and complementary smaller pools.  

The market for recreation and leisure is generally made up of families who visit aquatic facilities for fun, relaxation and social activities. 

Studies indicate around 60% to 70% of pool users come from this group. The installation of a 50m pool would mean less facilities for this cohort, leading to a reduction in visitor numbers. 

Thirdly, the local population catchment is unlikely to support a 50 metre pool. 

A 50 metre pool generally needs a catchment of well over 100,000 residents. The population in the Willoughby local government area in 2018 was 80,339 and is forecast to grow to 91,848 by 2036.  

There are also several 50 metre pools already in place nearby, including in the Lane Cove, Northern Beaches and Ku-ring-gai local government areas, which would compete with – and reduce the need for – a 50m pool at Willoughby. 

Few new 50 metre pools have been built in urban areas in Australia in the past 20 years, except where they will support elite swimming competitions which need stands and other technical requirements. There is no intention for Willoughby’s pool to fulfil this role. 

The complementary pools provide programs to important segments of our community.  

For example, the learn-to-swim pool will provide recreation and encourage a healthy lifestyle for children. It also encourages skills that could one day save a life.  

The program pool will service a range of user groups, including people with a disability and the growing number of older residents seeking aqua aerobic and rehabilitation activities. 

The gym, including group fitness classes and the sports hall are currently open.  

We encourage people to continue using the parts of the Willoughby Leisure Centre that are remaining open while construction work is taking place.  

To enable this, existing members are receiving a 15 per cent discount off their fees during the construction period.  

One outdoor netball court is being used during the construction phase of the upgrade.  

The remaining 16 outdoor courts remain available for use by Northern Suburbs Netball Association, and its district competition. 

The two indoor courts also remain available for use for netball and other sports, but will need to close at some stage during the construction process to enable a new roof to be installed and works to the floor.