NZCT backs Wellington Indoor Community Sports Centre

As one of the largest funders of amateur sport in the country, the New Zealand Community Trust (NZCT) has backed the recently opened Wellington Indoor Community Sports Centre.

In a statement, NZCT explains that it "believes sport helps grow healthy communities and it's important Wellington has the necessary sports facilities to enable locals to participate in sport for many years to come."

NZCT Chief Executive Mike Knell acknowledges the contribution of local NZCT publicans who, by raising funds in their gaming rooms, have made it possible for the trust to support this project, stating "although we fund thousands of grassroots sports clubs every year and will continue to do so, we are also supportive of legacy projects which provide long term, sustainable benefits to a broad range of people.

"The Wellington Indoor Community Sports Centre is a jewel in the city's sporting crown and we are delighted we could help fund this impressive facility."

NZCT has provided a substantial contribution ($350,000) towards the fit-out of critical sports equipment at the Wellington Indoor Community Sports Centre, including basketball hoops, handball curtains, volleyball nets, futsal and korfball goals, a dividing curtain and electronic scoreboard. NZCT is also providing funding to support the on-going delivery of a 'Youth in Sport' programme.

The centre will be used by thousands of people throughout the Wellington region. There are 14,000 local school children alone who will use the centre for many of their physical activity programmes. The centre is also expected to bring economic benefits to the city, by enabling even more regional and national sporting events to be held in Wellington.

Located in Kilbirnie, the indoor sports centre is the equivalent size of 12 full size netball courts and boasts the largest area of sprung flooring in New Zealand. As well as netball, the centre will cater for basketball, volleyball, korfball, floorball and handball. It will also be used by athletics and martial arts groups.

The centre has retractable seating for up to 2,200 spectators around a 'show court'. It also has a café, a high performance sports facility, meeting rooms available for hire and office space for local sports codes. The centre has off-street parking for 317 vehicles.

It is estimated 450,000 people will use the stadium each year, with local indoor sports codes making the greatest use of the new facility.

For more information email: info@nzct.org.nz