Netballers still throng Hagley Park courts

Shouts and whistles echoed around the Hagley Park netball courts this week as the midweek winter school sport season got underway.

Primary and Secondary School Sport are using the courts for their weekly winter school programmes every Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday afternoon.

On weekends the courts are still being used for club games by Christchurch Netball, which holds the lease on them until 2026.

“There’s been no change to the use of the courts since the opening of the Multicultural Recreation and Community Centre,” says John Filsell, Christchurch City Council Head of Community Relations and Partnerships.

“Four courts closest to the building have been allocated to the centre and the remainder will continue to be used for netball games as usual.”

The former Atrium building occupied by Christchurch Netball Centre (CNC) was purchased by Council in 2022 and CNC moved to their new all-weather, multipurpose home at Ngā Puna Wai sports hub in Wigram in November 2023.

 The Council’s new multicultural centre opened in March this year following a three-month refurbishment. Council has entrusted the running of the centre to the Multicultural Recreation and Community Centre Charitable Trust.

“Some key relationships have been developed between the sports groups and the Trust so that everyone knows what each other is doing," says Mr Filsell. 

“An important part of that is parking at the centre, which for netballers is restricted to minivans bringing groups to the courts rather than private cars. This helps ensure the carpark can still serve the multicultural centre.

“For private vehicles there is street parking along Hagley Avenue, Selwyn Street, Riccarton Avenue and Deans Ave plus Tū Waka-Waipapa carpark, the Hagley Oval carpark and Deans Ave Carpark.”

Several of the multicultural organisations involved with the centre are providing ethnic food options on Saturday mornings.

Previously cabinet food, fries and coffee were available but now the options depend on the calendar, and will include Nepalese, Bengali, Indian, Eritrean, Chinese, Pacific, Polish and Ukrainian food.