Capital Basketball has submitted a proposal to the Porirua City Council seeking partial funding for a new indoor basketball center in Porirua. The organisation has requested $250,000 from the council’s long-term plan for the facility’s fit-out, plus $100,000 over five years for operational expenses.
Damien Ekenasio, the general manager of Capital Basketball and a former Wellington Saints captain, expressed the organisation’s intent to relocate from Lower Hutt to Porirua. “We’re already active in Porirua with school programmes and public court installations. The city is expected to see the highest growth in the region over the next 30 years,” Mr Ekenasio says.
The proposed facility would include a full-size basketball court, two 3v3 courts, changing rooms, and meeting areas. Mr Ekenasio pointed out that multi-court facilities are in high demand across Greater Wellington, with locations like ASB Sports Centre, Te Rauparaha Arena, and Walter Nash Stadium often fully booked. He says a new base in Porirua would greatly expand the capacity to offer more regional programmes.
The submission highlights the need for space to conduct new weekday evening programmes, such as leagues for women, girls, and whānau. Future plans also include wheelchair basketball, walking basketball for seniors, and youth development activities for those in residential care.
Basketball’s popularity continues to surge, being the second most popular sport among secondary school students in 2023, and with the 3v3 version introduced in the 2021 Olympics. The success of Porirua’s Tokomanawa Queens in the 2022 Tauihi Basketball Aotearoa Grand Final highlights the sport’s local prominence.
Capital Basketball’s funding request joins other public submissions to the council’s long-term plan. The council has concluded its submission hearings and will finalise the long-term plan on June 27.