It’s no secret that Sydneysiders love their pools. The city is home to a range of public aquatic centres, but not all are created equal. Some are well-served, while others are struggling to cope. A review of council and census data shows some suburbs are worse-served than others, particularly the western suburbs.

Those in the western suburbs can expect to wait a long time to use their local pool. In some cases, they might not even be able to visit at all. The Western Sydney suburbs – including Parramatta, Penrith and Hills Shire – are some of the worst served by publicly accessible aquatic centres. They have one pool for every 178,960 residents. This is compared to the NSW state average of one for every 13,920 people.

The redevelopment of Willoughby Leisure Centre is 20 months behind schedule and $65 million over budget. It’s the latest project to be mired in controversy, adding to the broader debate over whether NSW councils are capable of managing such large projects. The redevelopment was originally scheduled to open in February, but has been delayed as the council battles Brewster Hjorth over costs and heritage issues.

While the redevelopment is a major headache for Willoughby Council, other NSW councils are grappling with similar issues around cost blowouts and delays on massive redevelopments. The Opal Tower is a case in point. It’s become a lightning rod for debate about standards of residential construction across Sydney after a crack developed in a load-bearing concrete panel on Christmas Eve last year. The crack prompted the state government to commission an independent inquiry into building code compliance across NSW.

In the 1920s, ocean pools came into fashion as a way to provide recreational and competitive swimmers with an environment that was safe from powerful waves and the risk of shark attacks. A number of ocean pools were constructed by private citizens, swimming clubs and local councils, but the Milsons Point complex is widely regarded as the first official, permanent ocean pool in Sydney. It opened in 1936, and was used for both leisure swimming and water sports, including diving, aquarobics and synchronised swimming.

During the redevelopment, the indoor and outdoor pools will be upgraded, along with an outdoor playground and new gym facilities. The complex is also a hub for community events, with the indoor pool being used as a multi-purpose area for a wide range of activities, including yoga, pilates and aerobics classes.

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