Just under $500,000 in repair works for East Maitland Aquatic Centre has been signed off by Maitland City Council.
The 45-year-old pool was closed last, after a number of structural issues were identified in an engineering report.
A report prepared for the council ahead of it’s meeting on Tuesday night, says repair works will take at least 12 weeks to complete, but could be extended, as the works require the pool to be completely dry. With a forecast wet Spring and Summer that could cause headaches.
Repairs include the installation of core holes to relieve pressure, reinstating all pool expansions joints, applying backing rod and sealant to the tile bed and structural shell, remove of tiles and retiling of joints, repair of failed tiles areas, and installation of hydrostatic valves within the pool base.
Those works will get underway following an expedited tender process.
Council’s General Manager David Evans says the centre has required increasing maintenance since 2005 to try and stay ahead of the issues.
“The site’s topography– at the bottom of a hill – has been a big challenge, but the facility’s age is perhaps the biggest.
“These works will aim to get the pool back open in early 2023 and extend its life at least another two to three years.
“One of the challenges of any repair option we might explore is that they all require the pool to be completely dry, so we might encounter problems both from the weather or from water seeping in from the ground,” Mr Evans said.