Work underway on Hakoah Club’s project to revitalise Sydney’s White City Tennis Centre

After more than 20 years of planning and disputes, a $95 million project to redevelop Sydney’s White City Tennis Centre is underway that will see the former home of the Sydney International tennis tournament transformed into multi-sport community facility by the Hakoah Club.

After years of delays, work on the project commenced in September with completion anticipated for early 2024.

Located in the Sydney suburb of Paddington next to the Sydney Grammar School campus, the redevelopment is planned to deliver refurbished tennis courts along with a full sized football field for National Premier League NSW team Hakoah FC, an aquatic facility and fitness club, as well as a cafe and restaurant.

Speaking a work got underway, NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet flagged the project as a fine example of a community-led development.

Premier Perrottet noted “what really pulled me to this project as treasurer was the community; the Jewish community coming together with investment in a project that they wanted.

“And this is something I really do believe we can do more of in this country, which is partnership between the community and government.”

The Club has said entry level memberships will cost as little as $5 per week, although prospective attendees will need an introduction by an existing club member to join.

The tennis courts will continue to be run by the Maccabi Tennis Club and will be open to non-members, as will the gym and wellness centre.

Community groups and sports clubs will be able to rent the fields which can accommodate sports including cricket, basketball, netball, football, soccer and futsal, and school sports carnivals will be welcomed, the club has said.

Woollahra Mayor Susan Wynne told the Wentworth Courier it had been a “mammoth” effort to get the project to construction.

“It’s going to be such an incredible asset to the community that everyone can share and enjoy,” Ms Wynne said, adding that the community’s majority funding was a “reflection of how much the Jewish community believe in this project.”

Image shows a 2018 concept for the new White City complex.