Five years and $122m later, North Sydney Olympic swimming pool has finally reopened. Was it worth the wait?

Acrobats from the Beeswax & Bottlecaps troupe don 1930s-style swimwear at the long-awaited opening of the North Sydney pool after its redevelopment. Photograph: Jessica Hromas/The Guardian

On a sunny Sydney Friday afternoon, a group of extremely athletic people in sailor costumes float merrily across a stretch of water, encased in inflatable spheres. On land, similarly dressed athletic people slowly pull them along with strings as the performers strike acrobatic poses and wave to passersby.

In the background is Sydney Harbour, its famous bridge and the Opera House. To the right, Luna Park’s iconic gates and a ferris wheel.