Wollongong City councillors have voted to fix Austinmer pool as soon as possible after the original contractor went under.
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Repair work to the sea wall, pool walls, pathways and hand rails was to have been completed in October, but the project was plagued with delays and budget blow-outs, culminating in contractor Specialised Marine Services filing for voluntary administration in late November.
At Monday night's meeting, councillors voted to skip the tender process and allow general manager David Farmer to find a company to finish the work.
"Because of these extenuating circumstances," the council report read, "it is desirable to engage an alternative contractor as soon as practically possible to minimise the time frame where the pools remain in an unfinished state."
It is understood council staff are hoping to have the pool ready by Christmas.
The papers before council did state Specialised Marine Services had been paid $511,246.75.
It will cost at least $200,000 more to finish the work.
Also at Monday night's meeting, councillors voted to accept a tender to replace the Wombarra Beach seawall.
A council report said the seawall was showing signs of failure in a number of locations due to storm damage.
Land and Marine Ocean Engineering was the successful tenderer at a cost of $578,115.
Work will begin in February 2015 after the summer school holidays.
