Culture

Olympia repair work ‘could not have been anticipated’

Olympia repair work 'could not have been anticipated'

The centre closed in February 2024 for three months to address problems with flumes, which included a metal rod detaching, narrowly missing swimmers.

It had reopened two months previously following a two-year closure for £6.1m of repair work to the building.

The report noted that “the original scope of capital works was sufficiently comprehensive” to ensure that all works identified following the closure in 2021 were addressed during the two-year closure.

It said the works needed on the flume pipework and support were “not reasonably foreseeable”.

It added: “Any additional works would not be arising due to an insufficient scope of works but rather due to the very nature of carrying out works on a refurbished building”.

The report noted that Leisure and Culture Dundee, who operate the site, voiced concerns that repair work during the two-year closure was rushed, leading to “substandard work and safety risks”.

The report authors said that these allegations were not relevant to whether all the work identified in 2021 had been carried out in 2023/24, which they said had been the case.

The report will be considered by councillors next week.

Mark Flynn convener of the council’s city governance committee said the report was commissioned to find out what actions, if any, could have prevented last year’s closure.

He said: “I am satisfied that Olympia remains a safe, high-quality environment for users and that the management and planned maintenance of the facility strengthen its long-term reliability.”