AN ACT government spokeswoman has confirmed that repairs of Gungahlin Leisure Centre will not be completed by the end of this year as originally anticipated. 

The latest COVID-19 lockdown in greater Sydney has further pushed the completion date back. The government says it cannot provide a revised timeline for the pool repairs until the NSW COVID-19 health emergency and associated travel restrictions are eased or an exemption is granted for all of the required subcontractors.

The pool repairs have been an ongoing saga for the $28.7 million 50-metre pool that opened in 2014 but has been closed since early 2020.

Repairs on the pool will slug Canberra taxpayers $1,519,200, according to TendersACT, however, the construction company that’s been given the job to fix the pool is stuck in Sydney’s lockdown.

Liberal MLA for Yerrabi Leanne Castley, who has been heavily advocating the re-opening of the pool since getting elected into the Assembly last year, questions if the Sports Minister has sought an exemption for this Sydney tiling contractor to come to Canberra.

A spokesperson to Sport and Recreation Minister Yvette Berry says: “The government is continuing to explore options to begin the works required for tiling system as soon as possible, however, the first priority is to keep the ACT community safe from COVID-19.

Ms Berry had previously said the government would re-open the pool in time for this coming summer.

With ongoing delays, Ms Castley says: “Gungahlin families have quit the YMCA because of the government’s pool debacle and many children have given up swimming squads or been forced to relocate to the Canberra Olympic Pool or Stromlo.”

Ms Castley also questions where Ms Berry’s promised fortnightly updates about the pool have gone to, with the last update made on July 23.

However, when questioned by “CityNews”, the spokeswoman to Minister Berry said the ACT government has been providing fortnightly and often weekly updates when required through the Gungahlin Leisure Centre website.

“This fortnight’s update was delayed by a few days as the ACT government is in the process of transitioning the updates over to the ACT government’s sport and recreation website,” she said.

It has now been updated.