The people financing the plan to reopen the derelict Big Splash water entertainment complex on November 1 have indicated it's not going to happen. Costs, they said, had been higher than expected.
But the ACT government has replied that its deadline for at least the 50-metre pool to reopen remains in place.
With the two groups at odds, there's now the prospect of the lease on the land in Macquarie being taken from the current lenders and the whole project going back to square one.
Campaigners say the government should just buy Big Splash, which closed to the public in November 2024. They fear that it is deteriorating beyond repair through vandalism and "demolition by neglect".
The new uncertainty came with an announcement on the Big Splash "updates" website by the unidentified lenders (the people who had put up the money for a reopening of the park, starting with the pool).
They said they had discovered that the costs were "beyond our expectations, especially given the very limited budget a business of our size can afford".
Canberra is getting to the point where we have lots of apartments but nothing to do. Meanwhile, we spend all the money on Andrew Barr's toy train. Whoever buys Big Splash will get reelected.
"So, small as we are, we found close to $400,000 to secure the property-fencing, rubbish removal, pumping the main pool, cleaning, professional fees and other safety works. It was not easy for a business our size to fund, but protecting the public had to come first."
The November 1 opening time for the 50-metre pool was stipulated by the ACT government, which leases out the land. After the lenders' announcement, the government said that the deadline remained: "Access Canberra has made clear that the requirement to reopen the pool by 1 November 2026 remains in place and reserves the right to take further action."
The statement continued: "The government's preferred outcome remains that a private party purchases and operates the site so it can once again serve the Belconnen community." continued.
It's not known who the people financing any revamping of the disused water park are, though they are not thought to include any big financial institution like a bank.
Big Splash was opened in 1969 as a publicly owned swimming pool. It was then sold off and under private ownership, it was developed into much more of an entertainment venue, with more pools, obstacle courses, water slides and a Splash Tower added. It was rebranded as Big Splash Waterpark, promising "the true meaning of extreme fun, excitement and comfort in a safe environment".
Over the years, there were different projects mooted, including ones for apartments around pools, but they came to nothing, with the closure two summers ago.
A month ago, the deserted water park was put up for sale.
Consultants Purdon Associates, who were involved with the project, said in June that the owners would still be working to meet the November 1 deadline: "Now that the new site fencing and general clean-up is complete, all effort is focused on making the main pool operational by 1 November 2026, in line with public commitments and Access Canberra's conditions."
But the people with the money say they've now had a closer look at the costs - so Big Splash's future is up in the air again. Campaigner Fiona Robinson, who used to work as a manager there, said the government should take it back.
"The government must buy that park or take back the lease," she said. "We need this as Canberra is getting to the point where we have lots of apartments but nothing to do. Meanwhile, we spend all the money on Andrew Barr's toy train. Whoever buys Big Splash will get reelected."
The Save Big Splash campaign said: "The private sector has failed to reopen Big Splash. The regulator has failed to enforce the conditions it imposed. The ACT Government can no longer stand back and hope the problem resolves itself.
"From day one, Save Big Splash has called for Access Canberra to terminate the Crown Lease and return Big Splash to the proven model already used successfully at seven other ACT public pools: government ownership with operation by an experienced private operator."
