Parnell Baths' $4.2m facelift needs tweak

Baths supporters say the city council seemed in a hurry to get the pool earning during the summer of the refurbishment. Picture / Brett Phibbs

The historic Parnell Baths need a $400,000 paint job, just two years after a $4.2 million refurbishment.

A pool users' group says the extra spending is needed because the council skimped and rushed the painting so the baths would open for the 2002-2003 summer.

The baths have been a hit with the public after their first facelift for 45 years.

The main pool was divided into a fitness pool and a children's lido fun pool with an aquatic playground. Heating and spa pools were added to the saltwater pool, which opened in 1914.

But teething problems with heating and chlorination gear contributed to a new operator going bust.

Another operator, Community Leisure Management, took over this summer and is due to get an increased annual subsidy of $120,000.

The extra capital and operational spending comes amid a warning from chief executive Bryan Taylor that the council budget is under pressure, including growing maintenance costs.

The council plans an overall rates increase of 9.7 per cent this year.

A partner in Community Leisure Management, Joe Griffin, met council staff on Wednesday to discuss what needed to be done to the pools during the off season.

A council contract manager, Andrew Wharton, said pools were "expensive animals" and the $4.2 million refurbishment budget was probably a bit light.

Mr Griffin said: "I think they got a lot done for $4.2 million but I think council were fully aware at the time that they were going to need to repaint it."

Sue Monk, of the Parnell Baths Support Group, said the council appeared to be in a hurry to open the baths for the 2002-2003 summer to earn some money and did not do the proper structural work.

The baths, which were due to open before Christmas 2002, did not open until January 25. Work was also needed on the seawall at some stage, she said.

Mr Wharton said the $400,000 was set aside for the work but it had not been decided whether to repaint and/or tile the main and lido pools.

The work would also include reducing the amount of water escaping through the pool's porous base. The pool was designed so a small amount of water could escape to stop the pool popping out of the ground from tidal and groundwater pressure.

Mr Wharton said he could not comment on that suggestions the pool structure was not properly fixed and painted two years ago, saying it was his understanding that the work was focused on the filtration and disinfection side.

"Unfortunately the budget did not cover doing any extra work on the pool base in terms of painting. The money was set aside for this year so we could do that."

The council will consider the spending next week as part of this year's budget round. It will also consider spending $150,000 to increase a retaining wall behind the changing rooms to stabilise the bank and $100,000 to upgrade the downstairs area.