$7.5 million grant for Hakoah and membership now available
Member for Vaucluse Gabrielle Upton MP announced that the NSW Government will support Hakoah Club’s plans to revitalise White City, Paddington with a $7.5 million grant.
Planned pool area
Gabrielle Upton said, “Hakoah Club has such a proud and strong history of community leadership in sport and recreation.
“The funding will support them in that important role. It will also give my local community long-awaited and badly needed additional recreational facilities at White City which has long been run down and under-utilised”
The NSW Government’s commitment matches funding announced by the Federal Government earlier this year. The $60 million redevelopment will include sports facilities that will be open to non-club members such as the football field, learn to swim pool, tennis courts operated by Sydney Maccabi Tennis Club, basketball, netball and futsal courts as well as the gym, fitness and wellness centre, and café.
The $60 million redevelopment, being undertaken by the Hakoah Club, transforms the once iconic but now rundown tennis complex in Paddington, into a contemporary multi-faceted sports and community venue.
The President of Hakoah Club Steven Lowy welcomed the support provided by the NSW Government.
He said: “I wish to thank the State Government and, in particular, Minister Natalie Ward for her support and for sharing our bold vision for the revitalisation of White City and its immense positive impact on the local community.
Hakoah Club was founded in 1938 and has a proud history of serving the Sydney community. While the vast majority of funding for the project has come from the Jewish community, the Club has always welcomed members of all backgrounds and will continue this inclusive tradition at White City. Membership will be affordable, with individual memberships expected in the $20 per month range at opening planned for late 2023.”
For the first time in twelve years Hakoah has opened membership up to the community.
Minister for Sport Natalie Ward said, “Investing in new and existing sports infrastructure is vital to improving the health and wellbeing of NSW residents.
The redevelopment of White City will provide modern, accessible sports facilities for everyone in the community, allowing more people to enjoy the benefits of sport and active recreation.”
At last night’s AGM, Steven Lowy said: “We have completed the competitive process for choosing a qualified builder, and have now entered an active process of design development with builder involvement. Construction cost estimates remain within the parameters of our financial model.”
With many major donors now coming on board, the club now holds pledges of around $45 million, and combined with the government grants, our funding is currently sitting at approximately $60 million.
Steven Lowy added: “We are confident that the $65 million target is in our reach.
In the past month we have signed Agreements with Shalom and Maccabi NSW and Sports Centre. CSG is also planning to utilise our facilities and we also intend to partner with more communal organisations after we commence the project, and are currently in discussions to do so.”
Hakoah has established a new registered charitable entity which the club proposes will own the land at White City in due course. It is intended this entity will be governed by prominent Jewish community leaders, ensuring the land remains in Jewish community hands in perpetuity.
Steven Lowy told the AGM: “I am pleased tonight to announce that David Gonski has agreed to chair this new entity.”
He concluded by saying: “We still have an enormous amount of work to do to enable us to call a meeting of members to approve the necessary arrangements to start the project.”
