At Risk
All of these things are at risk if Council is not able to allocate space in A.F Thomas Park for a new Stadium
Basketball
Over 4,500 registered players from the Shore participate in Basketball every week.
For every $1 invested in Basketball a social benefit of $1.70 is delivered
Gymnastics
North Harbour Gymnastics sees well over 1,000 shore kids every week.
For every $1 invested in Gymnastics a social benefit of $1.60 is delivered.
Events
Employing around 60 people around 70 events per year drive millions of dollars of revenue on the Shore. Events play a key role in funding Eventfinda Stadium for the community.
Tell Council what you want to see at A.F Thomas park
By completing the link below and answering the 7 question survey you can help provide a future for Basketball & Gymnastics on the Shore.
We need to ensure Council provides for indoor sports, recreation and event spaces.
The home of our community
Visitors per Year
424,000
GymNastics Members
2,500
Basketball Members
7,500
Frequently asked questions
Auckland Council is consulting on the future of AF Thomas Park. Eventfinda Stadium is 33 Years old and positioned at the bottom of the flood zone. We will flood again. We need Council to include Indoor Sport & Recreation in the options it considers for the future of A.F Thomas Park to ensure we can build a new venue with more space for everyone.
You can make a submission to Council (Link Here) and tell them to include Indoor Sport & Recreation in the future of AF Thomas Park. Its a short 7 question survey that takes less than 3 minutes and you can help ensure the Stadium has a future.
Golf and a new venue can exist side by side. It is important that golf returns to the park in future, but this does not need to be an “either or” choice. Both groups of community can and should be accommodated on the park.
Yes. Basketball is the fastest growing sport in the Country and North Harbour Basketball is the biggest association in the Country by a long measure. The 2023 Sport NZ Facility Investment Strategy identified over 70 courts per week are “missing” from Auckland. Gymnastics is the same, every week parents and kids cannot be accommodated in the limited space they have,
According to flood modelling, Eventfinda Stadium will flood again. If that happens, the venue is likely to close. This will leave North Harbour Gymnastics and Basketball without a home or space.
What is changing and why?
01
Future Flood Risk
Eventfinda Stadium sits at the lowest point in the Glenfield flood plane. We will flood again.
The Anniversary Day floods of 2023 delivered $6.4m in damage to the building with water only 100mm deep,
Expert advice suggests there is a 30% chance any year we may flood again, this could have a catastrophic impact if it happens.
02
33 Year Old Building
Our building, Eventfinda Stadium was built in 1992. It is aging and will shortly need significant investment to keep it open into the future.
In 2027 we expect to invest up to $6m in replacing the roof on the building as it reaches its end of practical life. Given the future risk to the building we don’t believe this is the best investment for the community
03
Growing Need
In 2023 the Sport NZ Facility Investment framework identified that Auckland is approximately 73 indoor courts short of meeting its sport demand for space.
With the resurgence of both Basketball and Gymnastics that number has only increased. Gymnastics is roughly 1,000 Sqm short of space and Basketball is scattered across almost every court on the shore in the evenings. We need increased space for our community.
What Our Users Say
John Hunt
Harbour Basketball CEO
We know we need more courts, every night we are playing kids all over the Shore. We need a new home and A.F Thomas Park is a proximity of most school in the area.
Debrah Breedt
North Harbour Gym CEO
It is vital that we provide for the future of Gymnastics on the North Shore. A.F Thomas presents an opportunity to secure that for many years to come.
Brian Blake
Eventfinda Stadium CEO
Our building will flood again. It is over 30 years old and we are out of time and space. A.F Thomas Park provides a platform for Sport, Recreation and Golf to co-exist in a new purpose built venue.
Make a submission now!
It will only take two minutes.
The Council submission form is quick and intuitive, only 7 questions to tell Council we want more indoor sports and recreation options as well as more events on the Shore.
Contact us
If you have any questions please contact us here.