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The ACT government will fork out $1.5 million to fix the 50-metre pool at the Gungahlin Leisure Centre, meaning taxpayers will be responsible for covering most of the pool’s repair bill. The government had recently accepted $400,000 payout to cut ties with the builder of the $28.7 million facility, after ACT Sports Minister Yvette Berry conceded a legal battle with the builder would have been unsuccessful. Tiles in the pool, which was only completed in 2014, started to fall off in June 2020. It has meant the pool has been closed for 12 months, after it was initially forced to close due to the coronavirus pandemic. Ms Berry has said many times that the pool would be opened by December this year but the contract for the repairs of the bill runs until October 2022, which has sparked fears the pool could be closed for longer. Canberra construction firm Kynetic has been given the $1.5 million contract to fix the pool. The contract for the repairs was signed on Wednesday. The government had previously refused to disclose how much repairs would cost, citing commercial negotiations. The pool’s closure was shrouded in secrecy as the government did not reveal the exact cause as to why the tiles were falling off. It since emerged that technical experts, employed by the government, were unable to uncover the reasons for the problem tiles. Instead, they said it could be caused by a number of reasons including problems with the adhesive used to attach the tiles, the movement of the tiles or the construction of the tiles. As an exact cause was unable to be determined, the government undertook secret negotiations with the builder, ADCO Constructions. Those negotiations resulted in the $400,000 payout. Liberal MLA Leanne Castley, who is a member in the Gungahlin-based seat for Yerrabi, expressed concern about the October 2022 completion date. “The debacle continues,” she said. Ms Berry has been contacted for comment. More to come.
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The ACT government will fork out $1.5 million to fix the 50-metre pool at the Gungahlin Leisure Centre, meaning taxpayers will be responsible for covering most of the pool’s repair bill.
The government had recently accepted $400,000 payout to cut ties with the builder of the $28.7 million facility, after ACT Sports Minister Yvette Berry conceded a legal battle with the builder would have been unsuccessful.
Tiles in the pool, which was only completed in 2014, started to fall off in June 2020. It has meant the pool has been closed for 12 months, after it was initially forced to close due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Canberra construction firm Kynetic has been given the $1.5 million contract to fix the pool. The contract for the repairs was signed on Wednesday.
The government had previously refused to disclose how much repairs would cost, citing commercial negotiations.
The pool’s closure was shrouded in secrecy as the government did not reveal the exact cause as to why the tiles were falling off.
It since emerged that technical experts, employed by the government, were unable to uncover the reasons for the problem tiles.
Instead, they said it could be caused by a number of reasons including problems with the adhesive used to attach the tiles, the movement of the tiles or the construction of the tiles.
As an exact cause was unable to be determined, the government undertook secret negotiations with the builder, ADCO Constructions. Those negotiations resulted in the $400,000 payout.
Liberal MLA Leanne Castley, who is a member in the Gungahlin-based seat for Yerrabi, expressed concern about the October 2022 completion date.
“The debacle continues,” she said.
Ms Berry has been contacted for comment.
