Hall History

Back in the late 1970’s the Rotorua Badminton Club operated in the Rotorua Sportsdrome; a multi-purpose venue run by the local council. Due to the whims of council bookings from various other sporting activities and events, it was getting harder and harder to grow the game.

In 1980 an Executive was created under the Rotorua Badminton Club with the brief to look at the possibilities of building a badminton specific hall. This executive included Frank Duncan, Ken Patchett, Jean Weathers, Bill Picken and Duncan Murray.

A site was offered near Pak’n’Save, but was then withdrawn as a possible candidate, with the current site on Tarewa Place being put on the table next. Originally, the plan was to build a 12 court hall, but due to the cost, a smaller six court hall was settled upon, with the ability to expand it in the future if required. Considerable research was carried out on what type of hall to build including looking at various other badminton hall designs from around the country. In the end, the badminton halls at Counties Manukau and Waitakere became the template for which the Rotorua hall was to be based on.

To raise the funds needed to build the hall, the Rotorua Badminton Club did a variety of things including; fundraising, insurance auctions, debentures were floated and selling naming rights to the support poles in the hall. With $30,000 raised by the Club and a grant from Lotto for $40000, construction was underway.

Before the building could commence, the site was loaded to measure how much movement would take place in the ground. After this test, building begun in 1981, and was completed in 1983.

Various working bees were then undertaken to finish the interior painting and fitting out the kitchen.

On 12th September, 1985 the hall was officially opened by the Honorable MP Peter Tapsel (MBE)

The Rotorua Badminton Club and the badminton community of Rotorua are indebted to the foresight and hardwork undertaken by the Executive.