Waitakere Badminton Association has received a grant from the New Zealand Community Trust of $5,000 towards the cost of new equipment.
A six-court complex was constructed in Royal Road Massey, after moving from the original base in Kumeu in 1974. Over the next forty the WBA extended the building to an international standard badminton centre with an additional courts. As a result, they have been able to allow other sports, such as indoor archery, to use the centre for the people of West Auckland. The Centre is built on Council land, but owned by the Waitakere Badminton Association.
Waitakere Badminton is now regarded as the premier badminton venue in New Zealand. Over the last two years, it has hosted the NZBA Badminton League, as shown on Sky Sport, and in August 2021 New Zealand's Premier Inter Association Competition the Wisden/Slazenger Cup will be played. These events are being held at Waitakere as a result of a previous grant received from NZCT in 2020 for six new court mats. This new grant will assist with the cost involved in running such events and competitions.
Executive Director Paul Shirley said, “Waitakere Badminton require shuttlecocks to supply to clubs, juniors, and inter-association teams for club nights and competitions throughout the season. Without this funding support from NZCT, the cost to Waitakere Badminton to participate in all the New Zealand Badminton Competitions and promote the playing of badminton through the clubs would be too expensive for everyone involved, which has a real impact on the number of people able to afford to play badminton.
“Over the last two years the venue has been approached by the different ethnic communities to use the centre for various tournaments. These have been held every few weeks. Without the assistance of NZCT and the Waitakere Licensing Trust it would not be possible to deliver these tournaments to the highest standards. The Centre now has a replacement value of over $6 million and NZCT has been instrumental in supporting our efforts to deliver the game to all badminton players and the wider community in general.
“The sport has grown significantly over the last twenty years, due largely to increased Asian immigration into New Zealand. It is now the fifth most popular sport played in secondary schools. With the explosion of numbers playing in clubs that are unable to take new members, the delivery of the sport would not be possible without the assistance from such important funding agencies.”