Wollongong City Council has run almost $1 million over budget as it attempts to complete repairs to Austinmer rock pool which were originally costed at less than $500,000.
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The council’s draft capital works program reveals the cost of the drawn out project – which began two years ago – has now reached $1.46 million.
Work on the project began in May 2014, but came to a halt six months later when Specialised Marine Services – which said it could complete the job for $499,000 – went into voluntary liquidation and left the works in disarray.
In December that year, council papers revealed the city had paid more than $511,000 to the belly-up company for only half the job. Infrastructure and works director Mike Hyde estimated at least $200,000 would be needed to finish the work.
The following April, after the council temporarily secured the site over summer, local firm Affective Services resumed construction on the site.
However, with tides and rain dictating the work schedule, the council says the project has been “intermittent” and “complex”.
Work on the northern pool – with the exception of a handrail – was finished by December 2015, while works to the southern pool are underway and “expected to be completed by June 2016 provided we get favourable tide, sea and swell conditions”.
Asked if the budget could increase further, a council spokeswoman said the cost listed in the captial budget was “estimated”.
“This figure is the total estimated cost at this point in time and the project is currently on track to be completed within the allocated budget,” she said.
“The work is dependent on the tide, sea and swell conditions and the final cost will only be known once the project has been completed.”
Meantime, the council will start work on replacing parts of Woonona and Towradgi rock pools after Anzac Day, in an effort to “minimise disruption to pool users” by working during the cooler months.
The works will cost $659,763 and $446,194 respectively, according to the council’s capital works budget.
In the next four years, the council plans to spend $4.5 million on fixing rock pools at Wollongong, Wombarra and Coalcliff, as well as the three mentioned above.
Asked why the city was investing so much into the maintenance of pools, the spokeswoman said they were valued by the community.
“Our biennial community surveys demonstrate this with 29 per cent of people surveyed having swum in a rock pool monthly,” she said. “Maintenance of these rock pools is a challenge due to [their] harsh marine environment.”
