White City sports centre redvelopment remains stalled

Four years after its purchase of Sydney's White City tennis and sporting complex, the Hakoah club's plans to redevelop the site of the former Sydney International tennis tournament remain stalled.

Purchased in 2010 by the Hakoah club for a sum believed to have exceeded $13 million, the Jewish community and sporting club has had plans to redevelop the site as a major aquatic, recreation and sporting facility.

Presented at the Hakoah Club's most recent AGM, the concept for the 22,000 metre2 site includes:

• A full size football field for competition matches, training and recreation for all ages
• An aquatic centre including a 25m pool for laps and learn to swim classes
• A Maccabi multi-purpose sports complex of sufficient space for two basketball courts, futsal court and a multitude of other sports
• A Maccabi gymnasium, wellness centre, climbing walls, and multi-purpose sports/dance hall
• A club house for members, including restaurant, lounge, bar and meeting rooms
• A function room for weddings, bar/batmitzvahs, meetings and cultural events , together with a kosher kitchen
• Meeting rooms
• Space for community offices and Maccabi offices
• A crèche
• A child care centre for 100 children
• Expansion of tennis facilities at the adjoining Maccabi Tennis Club
• Ample parking
• A café 
• A childrens' playground

However, full plans for the redevelopment have yet to be revealed due to a combination of a lack of funds for the development and a dispute that emerged at the AGM between the Hakoah Board, Jewish community group JCA, Maccabi NSW and former Hakoah board members.

Outgoing Hakoah President Phil Filler, recently told The Australian Jewish News that the “proposed sport facilities include tennis - through Maccabi Tennis Club, football -the raison d’etre for Hakoah’s existence as well as the pre-eminent sport being conducted within our community, a gymnasium, a multi-purpose sports hall - capable of staging basketball, netball, futsal, volleyball, table tennis - and an aquatic centre."

The football component of the development is highly significant, as Hakoah Sydney City East FC are again competing in elite competition.

Relaunched in 2013 after a hiatus of 25 years, the former giants of the National Soccer League look set to gain promotion to the second tier of State League football in NSW for the 2015 season. In the early 1980s, the club dominated the NSL, winning four titles, three back-to-back.

Currently playing at hired sportsgrounds in Sydney's Eastern Surburbs, Hakoah are keen to play their games at new 'home ground'.

If the redevelopment gets the go-ahead, the Hakoah Club Board plan to gain the support of communal and commercial partners, as well as the largess of the Jewish Community, to fund the project costs.

Founded as a football club in the 1930s, the Hakoah Club grew into one of Sydney's wealthiest social clubs. Its longstanding home in Bondi (which featured gaming facilities, dining areas, function rooms, a gym and swimming pool) was sold for redevelopment in 2007 for $18 million and the club closed its doors on 4th November 2010.

Maccabi Tennis White City currently offers 14 tennis courts - six artificial grass courts with flood lights, seven grass courts and an artificial clay court.

25th June 2010 - ALEXANDER EXITS WHITE CITY AS HAKOAH CLUB STEPS IN