If there’s a Sydney pool that’s getting a lot of attention at the moment it’s the Bondi Icebergs. But our love affair with ocean pools is a long one and goes back two centuries, writes Nicole Jordan. Convicts carved, dynamited and rebuilt them, and they became the centre of our seaside community life. Today they’re cherished by swimmers and photographed by Instagrammers, but they’re also threatened by erosion, budgetary woes and a lack of council support.

The city’s dozens of ocean pools are public seawater pools situated on a surf coast so that waves can wash over them, which makes them unique from the pristine beaches most people visit during summer. They’re popular with elderly and disabled swimmers who might not feel safe on a beach, and they offer facilities such as food outlets, shaded areas, children’s pools and water slides. They’re also popular with fitness swimmers and winter swim clubs, who enjoy warmer seawater than a regular beach.

Located at the bottom of sandstone cliffs, some tucked into the corners of cliff faces and others set in lush tropical gardens, they’re a feature of our city’s coastal landscape, from the infinitely-Instagrammed Bondi Icebergs to the more hidden gems of McIver’s Ladies Baths, the Art Deco pools and venue suspended on stilts at the eastern end of the city, and the pools where Olympic champion Evelyn Whillier trained for the 1936 Berlin Olympics. Many are also popular with photographers seeking the perfect sunrise capture.

For some residents, though, it’s the shabbiness of sidney pools that makes them special. “I love the fact that it’s not perfect, that there are cracks in the walls and rust on the equipment,” says local resident Chris Bowden, 39. “I think it adds to the charm.”

The future of sidney pools is a major point of contention in the city’s politics. Independent North Sydney MP Kylea Tink is calling for the federal government to take back a $10m grant it provided to help the project, which she blames for “muddying what would have been a relatively straightforward renovation of a historic asset”. She claims that the pre-election windfall has pushed the project beyond its original scope and blown out the cost by more than $100 million.

While councillor Zoe Baker agrees with Tink that the pool was a good idea, she says the construction process has been beset by petty internal bickering, pork-barrelling and a lack of transparency. Heritage concerns, complaints from the community and health organisations have added to the pressures on council to get the project right. It’s now expected to open in 2025, a year later than originally planned. The delay has prompted questions about how the project’s management has changed since it began in March last year. But despite the delays, both Baker and Tink remain committed to the project. “I don’t believe we can put it on hold forever,” Baker says. “We’ll continue to work with the community to make sure we get this right.” — Reporting by Nicole Jordan.