Katikati Tennis Club is future-proofing its existence by adding pickleball to the mix at its facility off Park Rd.

A $286,000 redevelopment project began last month to transform two of the club’s six tennis courts into eight pickleball courts and replace and extend the clubhouse deck.

Other improvements would include a new bifolding door on the clubhouse’s northern end to open onto the deck, and a back wall and roof to create a sheltered area, with ceiling heaters and lights. Contractor Game on Turf was completing the courts while HL Builders would redevelop the deck.

Two pickleball shelters, plus cloth fencing along the back tennis court would also provide shelter from wind and sun. The project cost included netting structures for the new code’s courts.

The redevelopment, funded from grants and club funds, would be completed by Christmas, Katikati Tennis Club committee member Patrick Thorp said.

The redevelopment was born from the need to increase membership at the tennis club, he said.

“We had 124 members four years ago [in 2022] and we got down to 88 in 2025.”

As a result, Thorp said the club’s committee tasked a subcommittee early in 2025 to come up with ideas to reinvigorate the club.

“It took about four months. We talked to other tennis clubs, the local community and came up with the idea that pickleball was one of the fastest-growing sports in New Zealand and Katikati didn’t have a dedicated pickleball facility.

“We decided that, as our tennis numbers were declining, putting in pickleball was a way of reinvigorating the club, ensuring it remains financially secure and to just keep the club alive.”

The existing site of the clubhouse at Katikati tennis Club. Photo / Supplied

Thorp said the subcommittee recognised it needed to attract younger members to grow the club, and it hoped pickleball would do the job as a “sport for all ages”.

Thorp said the redevelopment would see two tennis courts transform into eight pickleball courts. Four original tennis courts would remain.

“However, we’ll have a combined court among the new courts – that will be able to be used for tennis or pickleball, depending on what people want to use it for on the day.

“So, we will still have five tennis courts and eight pickleball courts.”

Thorp said if pickleball grows “fantastic – we do have more land we can utilise in future”.

Costs had prohibited the tennis club from building standalone pickleball courts on its underutilised land.

“There would have been additional fencing, drainage and all sorts of things to consider and pay for,” Thorp said.

The proposed redevelopment of the deck of Katikati Tennis Club's clubhouse. Photo / Supplied

“We also thought that because club numbers were declining, transforming some of our current courts was a better use of the land.”

Fellow committee member Graeme Thomson said the beauty of the tennis club was it owned its land, so the committee could make decisions about its use.

“The [Western Bay of Plenty District] council was supportive of the project. We’ve got letters of support from the Mayor [James Denyer] to the community board.”

The goal was to get word out about the tennis club and its new pickleball offering for the community to utilise it, Thomson said.

“It’s not only about the activity of sport but of social connections and needs … many people live alone and are looking for the perfect excuse to get out [and socialise].

“This tennis club is particularly friendly – it’s got a lot of members that rely on it for its communication and wellbeing. Pickleball will also cater to that.”

The deck extension would also provide more opportunity to sit and gather to watch and enjoy both codes, Thorp said.

Thomson said the club would soon target schools, senior citizens and other community groups to get people interested in pickleball.

The club had raised the $286,000 in about 12 months. Grants included $50,000 from We Care Community Trust, $10,000 from Grassroots Trust Ltd, $142,000 from TECT, $10,000 from Western Bay of Plenty District Council’s Facilities in the Community Fund, $5000 from Hume Pack-N-Cool Growers Community Fund, and $20,000 from the tennis club’s internal fundraising and savings accounts.

“For us to have raised the money we have in the timeframe we have, has been phenomenal. It shows the credibility of people accepting the need to enhance an activity in Katikati,” Thomson said.

“We’ve sown the seed as an idea, but the sponsors have made it a reality – they’ve had the confidence in us for us to look at other opportunities to secure the club for the future.

“It has also given our members the confidence that our committee has the capacity to do this and take it to another level. I think, by and large, our members have been supportive,” Thomson said.

“Even the local pickleball club has supported us; there’s no conflict of interest. We want to work with them in tandem.”

Katikati Tennis Club committee members Graeme Thomson and Patrick Thorp want the community to know that from Christmas both tennis and pickleball can be played at the Park Rd facility. Photo / Merle Cave

Thorp said the tennis club may receive a name change once the redevelopment is complete, but the land and facilities would still be owned and operated by Katikati Tennis Club committee.

Thomson said some members know how to play pickleball, and the club would host pickleball open days and bring in mentors and instructors to help the community learn to play the sport.

“We want it to be accessible.”

Thorp said the pickleball courts would have a surface known as Laykold, which was multi-use.

“It’s synthetic and can be used for pickleball and tennis.

“Pickleball uses a different racquet, which they call a paddle, a different ball and has netting three-quarters the size of tennis netting,” he said.

The tennis club has about 90 members, but Thorp believed pickleball would boost that number.

“People will be able to pay a club membership fee to play both sports codes; or play both sports via casual attendance rate.”

He also hoped as pickleballers came on board they would share their skills and ideas to grow the facility too.

“The courts will go up and we think the people will come.”