Pool on pause, again

By Taylor Clyne
March 04, 2020

The Scottsdale Swimming Pool and its million-dollar plans to be redeveloped has long been the topic of conversation within the community.

Following Council’s timeline, construction work should have commenced this week after the pool closed to the public at the end of February, one month earlier than normal to allow for the $6 million build.

However, it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to tell that this project is categorically behind schedule and not likely to start this year, let alone this month.

Therefore, it begs the question, why haven’t the design plans been presented to a Council meeting, why has the pool still closed a month early and is the entire project going to be deferred again?

Mayor Greg Howard said there was no denying that the delays have been more than frustrating for Council and community.

“There have been so many barriers thrown our way that we couldn’t have foreseen and things getting pushed back.

“It’s true the design work still hasn’t been completed, we are still waiting for those people to resubmit their design and construct tenders after Councillors made amendments to options supplied last year,” he said.

“There is a reasonable amount of work in it and if we’re being truthful, whilst yet to be decided by Council, we most likely won’t start this year now.”

“The tenders are not going to be ready before April at a guess which pushes back all the timeframes.”

Regarding the early closure of the pool, despite prior conversations that if timelines were pushed back the community would still have normal access, the Mayor said this was out of Council’s control.

“We cannot find lifeguards to keep the pool open during March due to the contract agreement with the current pool manager,” he said.

“It’s obvious that we need to review the management arrangement for the pool as its not satisfactory but previous attempts to find local management failed with no one willing to apply for the job.”

As a whole the Mayor said Council’s main aim is to not have the pool closed for an entire season during the redevelopment and if it means pushing out the construction timelines to ensure this they would.