Mt Albert Road, Berhampore (above the National Hockey Stadium)

The Wellington Chinese Sports and Cultural Centre Inc (the Centre) was established in 1972 with the prime objective of serving the sporting and cultural needs of the Chinese community. The ability of the Centre to meet these needs was largely achieved in 1977, after a great deal of fundraising, with the completion of its stadium in Berhampore in 1977.

  

The stadium comprises a main gymnasium, kitchen, lounge, classroom and various storage and ancillary areas. The gymnasium is marked with lines for three basketball courts, three volleyball courts and four badminton courts. The kitchen is fully equipped to cater for up to 500 guests who can be seated at tables within the gymnasium.

  

Over the 24 years since the completion of the stadium, the Centre has catered for or hosted at least if not more than 200 functions such as weddings, banquet dinners, balls, dances, reunions and other social events. In addition it has hosted sporting events and competitions and generally made the facilities available for wider community and school uses such as indoor bowls, volleyball, basketball and indoor soccer training, coaching and leagues.

The stadium facilities are also used for a Chinese language preschool, oriental art classes, Chinese language classes, tai chi and other cultural activities. While some of these activities are fundraising in nature, many are for the benefit of Centre members and the wider community.

The Centre has around 800 family and individual members, almost all living in the greater Wellington region.

  

The Centre has been successful in terms of its objective in providing for the sporting and cultural needs of the Chinese community.

On the sporting front the Centre has teams entered into local basketball and indoor netball competitions. The Centre also organises and hosts an annual basketball tournament at Queen’s Birthday.

  

Cultural activities have come into prominence in recent years with the formation of a group of children who perform Chinese songs and dances and a Chinese Lion Dance troup comprising boys in the 10 to 14 age group. Both of these groups have performed in public at events as diverse as the Wellington City Council’s “Dance Your Sox Off” festival, the Asian Festival, the Mother and Child Exhibition and at the Centre’s charity ball. The Centre has been pleased to be able to conduct programmes that will preserve elements of Chinese culture among the younger generation.

As mentioned above the stadium is frequently used by groups, clubs and schools from the wider community for competitions, training and coaching.

The Centre is pleased to be able to contribute towards the wellbeing of the community in Wellington.

May 2001