After 67 years, Brisbane's Centenary Pool to close for major Olympic upgrade

Brisbane's Centenary Pool, a historic landmark dating back to 1959, is set to close at the end of August for a major upgrade in preparation for the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games. Designed by architect James Birrell, the pool first opened to the public in 1959 and quickly became Brisbane's first Olympic-standard pool, reflecting the city's growing passion for swimming following Australia's impressive performance at the 1956 Melbourne Olympics, where they won eight gold medals in swimming events.

Mr. Birrell, who passed away in 2019, left behind a legacy that his son Jack Birrell fondly remembers, describing the pool as a "cultural mecca" where dignitaries would gather and it was a place for the community to gather and enjoy. Donna Hansen, who grew up in Brisbane's northern suburbs, recalls visiting the pool several times a week as a child, while Allana French, who has been a regular at the pool for about 40 years, remembers the distinctive aroma of an Indian restaurant that operated there in the 1970s and 1980s.

The pool will be handed over to the Games Independent Infrastructure and Coordination Authority (GIICA) on September 1st, which will oversee the construction of a new National Aquatic Centre that will include three new pools and permanent seating for 8,800 attendees. Greg Mahony, a 79-year-old former schoolboy who used to visit the pool on Saturdays, hopes that the site will continue to serve as a community swimming pool while also playing a role in maintaining Australia's swimming dominance.

Olympian Mark Stockwell, who won three medals for Australia in swimming at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympic Games, has been advocating for the pool's redevelopment since the 1990s, and he hopes that the pool will be preserved and maintained for the community as it enters a new phase in its long history.