The Howick Local Board has been asked to make room for a racquet game new to the area.
An east Auckland man hooked on padel wants to build what he says would be the Howick area’s first courts, on an under-used car park at Lloyd Elsmore Park.
Ali Alzergawi put the game to the Howick Local Board in one line on 24 September.
“If tennis and squash had a child, it would make padel,” he said.
Padel is played in fours on a court 20 metres by 10, smaller than a tennis court, with glass walls that keep the ball in play as in squash.
The nearest courts are at Panmure, St Johns and Glendowie.
“I’ve only started playing this game this year,” Alzergawi said.
“I’m absolutely addicted,” he said.
He said he now played every week.
He put the build at about $300,000 for the courts, a portable office and a deck, with lighting and power on top.
The courts would be privately built, staffed and run, with no call on rates.
He wants to charge $60 an hour off-peak and $70 at peak, under what existing courts charge.
“Keep in mind, this is split over to four people,” he said, putting each player’s share at about $15.
He offered an hour or two of free coaching to any local school that wanted it.
“Back when I was in my school days, I would love to have the excuse to go out of school and play,” he said.
He showed the Board two car parks at the park that he said sat empty when he went past: one at the southern end and one beside the Howick Pakuranga Netball Centre.
Board member Krish Naidu said public land was not free to hand out.
“Council has got limited resources and there’s an opportunity cost every time a space is available and given to someone,” he said.
He wanted proof that locals would play.
“Have you really established clear evidence of a demand for this in the Howick Local Board area?” Naidu asked.
“You’ve talked about a lot of international growth and trends, but we haven’t seen much around.”
“Is there a demand for this?”
Alzergawi said his group was surveying residents.
“As of right now, to be very clear, we don’t know 100 per cent that there is, but I’m very confident that it will grow,” he said.
“We are a very sporty community,” he said.
He said that when a new sport came into the area, people “will 100 per cent try it out”.
Board chair Bruce Kendall went back to the $300,000.
“How did you arrive at that number?” he asked.
He asked whether the figure paid for “the concrete and the glass and building the whole thing”.
Alzergawi said the price was for the courts alone, which come from Spain, and foundations could add more depending on the site.
Kendall had his own evidence of demand.
“I’ve got friends on the North Shore that took it up, and they’re all addicted,” he said.
The Board asked staff for advice on options, without agreeing to any site or funding.
Alzergawi offered the Board a game.
“It’s such a lovely community, you know, and I know 100 per cent East Auckland is gonna love it,” he said.
