Sign In / Register
iwaka could play a pivotal role in the growth of basketball and multi-sport in the Kaipara region if a proposal presented to council last month gets the go-ahead.
The submission, delivered by Kaipara Basketball chair Blake Worsfold at a recent Kaipara District Council meeting, could see the construction of a two-court, multi-sport stadium on land currently housing the tennis courts on the Kaiwaka Sports Association (KSA) grounds.
“The facility has been run by a very loyal group of volunteers for a long time, but it needs a bit of help and an upgrade,” Worsfold said on behalf of the KSA.
“At the same time, our sports community and population in general is growing, and there is an increased expectation to provide access to recreational sports and facilities.”
If approved, the venue would be a dedicated space for activities including basketball, gymnastics, pickleball, indoor netball and tennis and cultural events, giving Kaiwaka an edge as a centralised hub for competitive sport.
“We think the location is perfect to service East Kaipara and will act as a gateway to sport in the north,” Worsfold said.
Basketball is one of New Zealand’s fastest-growing sports. Kaipara Basketball has more than 400 members competing in a multitude of events, not including those who play on school basketball teams.
Basketball Northland’s Josh Port is working closely with Worsfold on the project and said the lack of local facilities is hampering the sport’s true potential in the area.
“Currently, we can’t host any major basketball competitions in the Kaipara District because we need a minimum of two courts, and there are none available for multi-day events,” Port said.
Alongside the community benefits, Port also stressed the economic benefits a sports hub like this could bring to the district.
“We recently had a tournament held in Whangārei that brought $340,000 to local businesses. Having a dedicated sports complex in Kaiwaka not only helps the community, but brings a lot of economic benefits too,” Port said.
According to Port, the build would cost between $6.4 million and $8 million, with the cost considerably lower because the stadium would be built on the existing tennis courts. Money could be made available through grassroots sports funding and other sources if the project was added to the future Long Term Plan.
If approval is granted, the next steps will include securing funding for the initial concept and design plans, followed by public consultation on how the facility would be utilised.
