Tile damage on the new wall at the bathers’ pavilion in North Wollongong. Picture: ADAM McLEAN
Less than a fortnight after a picture-perfect grand reopening, the North Beach Bathers’ Pavilion has lost some of its shine.
Tiles are falling from the walls and all-too-familiar safety fences have been re-erected, making it an eyesore for visitors.
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‘‘Some of the granite stone tiles on the top row of the viewing platform wall became loose and needed to be removed and reinstalled,’’ a Wollongong City Council spokesman said yesterday.
‘‘The area has been secured with temporary fencing to ensure public safety and we anticipate reinstallation of the granite stone tiles by the end of this week, weather permitting,’’ he said.
He would not comment on whether the loose tiles were the result of a rush job to get the building ready for the official opening.
Crowds flocked to North Wollongong Beach for the retro-inspired opening of the $13.9million foreshore renovations on September 30.
Bursting with 1930s swimwear, vintage longboards and bathing belles, the event was a tribute to the pavilion’s vivid history and heritage status on the Illawarra shoreline.
The bathers’ pavilion was built in 1938 and was closed in March 2011 for the refurbishment, which included part of the Blue Mile precinct including historical panels and plaques.
