The opening of Dundee’s much-heralded replacement Olympia swimming pool has been delayed by six months.
Despite assurances throughout the year the project was on track to open early in the new year, Leisure and Culture Dundee admitted last night the opening date had been delayed due to “a variety of construction complications.”
Originally flagged up a year ago to be ready for use by the public this month, the timescale was later revised to the “start of 2013.”
Amid rumours earlier this year of structural problems, which were dismissed by contractors Mansell as “absolute poppycock,” the schedule has consistently been confirmed by both the contractors and Leisure and Culture Dundee.
The delay will come as a huge disappointment to users of the existing Olympia, who were previously told it would remain open until the handover.
However they are now being told they must use alternative facilities until the “transitional period” is over in the summer, with no date being confirmed for when the old facility will close.
Last night’s statement simply said the opening date had been moved from “spring” to the summer school holidays.
Swimmers now face an unknown period without a main swimming facility in Dundee.
The statement read: “It has been confirmed Dundee’s eagerly-awaited new Olympia swimming and leisure complex will be open to the public in time for the summer school holidays in 2013.
“By late spring, local construction company Mansell will have handed over the completed new Olympia and adjoining multi-storey car park to the city council.
“There will be a transitional period for the pool operators, Leisure and Culture Dundee, to prepare the new building, fully test plant, procedures and systems before opening to the public.”
The statement continued: “The opening date for the new Olympia has been delayed from spring to summer 2013 due to a variety of construction complications.”
In March, Stewart Murdoch, managing director of Leisure and Culture Dundee, announced the first delay to the project of “around three weeks” and added the operators wanted to avoid opening at the start of a holiday period, ironically exactly what the pool is now scheduled to do.
He added: “We have to keep running the existing Olympia while training the staff in the new facilities and in health and safety, which is complex.”
Despite apparent commitment to keeping Olympia open, however, the charity has now confirmed swimmers will not be able to use the waterfront facility, without giving a date for its closure.
Also in March, in response to rumours circulating that the project was behind schedule because of serious structural defects, Lindsay Cowan, Tayside regional director for builders Mansell, dismissed it as “absolute poppycock” and said the building work was progressing well.
A city council spokesman added: “There are no structural problems with the building and work is progressing.”
A month later, Mr Cowan confirmed the project was on schedule, with the main training pool basin being filled with water, adding: “which is a good milestone for us. It happened on schedule.”
“It’s all perfectly fine and we are really quite happy about things. The construction works will be completed this side of Christmas and the pool will be open to the public early in 2013.”
That commitment was also given to The Courier in May, July and August.
Last night, attempts by The Courier to contact Mr Cowan, Lord Provost Bob Duncan, who is chairman of Leisure and Culture Dundee, Stewart Murdoch and city council administration leader Ken Guild were unsuccessful.
awilson@thecourier.co.ukSee the latest on this story in Friday’s Courier