It’s hard to believe it is 5 years since Sport Northland and a host of sports organisations moved into the ASB Northland Sports House at Kensington Park.

The facility, built over the top of the Northland Table Tennis Centre, has provided a unique solution for Table Tennis Northland (who would probably otherwise have needed to replace their roof by now) and Sport Northland, who have ended up with a purpose built administrative base, including office space for Northland Regional Sports Organisations (RSOs) to also be housed.

The Sports House has enabled Sport Northland and the RSOs to work together in an inclusive culture and environment, which has promoted better collaboration, communication and sharing of best practice between all the organisations involved.

Ten organisations are now permanently based in the ASB Northland Sports House: Rugby League Northland, Netball Northern, Squash Northland, Tai Tokerau Touch, Parafed Northland, Special Olympics NZ, Golf Northland, Bike Northland, Northland Athletics and Gymnastics Stadium Trust and the NorthTec Sport and Recreation Course. Northern Football Federation is also based in the wider facility over at the ASB Leisure Centre.

In addition many others use the hot desk facility available, which enables them to ‘plug-in’ their laptops to work from the office when they are in town (this is especially helpful for those organisations with staff not based permanently in Northland but who regularly work in the region, such as Gymsports NZ).

Many more sports organisations use the Pub Charity Meeting Rooms within the facility, which provide a much needed, quality space for them to hold meetings, workshops and functions.

It has also brought the entire Whangarei staff of Sport Northland back under one roof, something that had been missing since the main office of the organisation had to be shifted into the Whangarei CBD back in 1998 (as a result of the demolition of the old Member’s Stand at Kensington Park to make way for the redevelopment of the ASB Leisure Centre).

And while bringing a stated goal of Sport Northland’s (one that dates back at least 20 years) to fruition is particularly satisfying, I’m sure the real value of the facility is that the current tenants are satisfied with the set-up and benefits this brings to each sport by being based in a professional sports environment day in and day out.

Those sport/recreation organisations interested in looking at office space should contact Sport Northland’s Brent Markwick on 09 4379603.