The re-opening of the 25-metre indoor pool at the Mandurah Aquatic and Recreation Centre (MARC) has again been delayed after the City received no tenders for the roof replacement project.
Mayor Rhys Williams said the WA construction industry was under immense pressure with high demand, labour and material shortages, plus skyrocketing cost of materials.
“In light of the current construction market, the City received no tenders for its roof replacement project and we’ll now have to reassess our approach,” Mayor Williams said.
“I appreciate this is very frustrating for our community and we sincerely apologise for the disruption this has caused. We remain determined to get the roof replacement works done as quickly as possible and get our community safely back to using the pool.”
The damaged section of roof was part of the original roof structure from 1982 that existed before the MARC redevelopment in 2016.
The pool has been closed since May 2021, with experts deeming the damaged roof needed to be removed and replaced at an estimated cost of $2.5 million.
City of Mandurah Chief Executive Mark Newman said this was a complex and technical capital works project that was further complicated by current market conditions.
“The pressure the construction industry is under has further intensified in the time since we first started scoping this project, and we need to adapt our approach to the market if we are to have any chance of securing someone to do the work required,” he said.
“The majority of the MARC remains accessible and fully-functioning and our staff have been able to adapt to the loss of the 25m pool with alternative arrangements and programs. However, some in our community ultimately rely on this pool for a range of important health, wellbeing and leisure activities and the City will do what it can in these unique and unexpected circumstances to get this pool back open as quickly and safely as possible.”
The City is now reassessing its options, taking into account a new procurement process to include separate design and construction tenders, latest market pressures and industry feedback.
With no further delays, the project will now be completed and the 25m pool reopened in late 2023.
Updates will be provided to MARC staff and the community throughout the project directly and via the City’s website.
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