Fears for squash club as deadline looms

Otago University Squash Club president Elizabeth Giles (20, front) and vice-president Hamish...
Otago University Squash Club president Elizabeth Giles (20, front) and vice-president Hamish Dudley (19) at the Otago University Squash Club. PHOTO: PETER MCINTOSH
The Otago University Squash Club in Dunedin could be nearing the end of its 54-year existence as a deadline for finding a new home looms.

The squash club has known for the past four years it would need to find new courts to play on, but it has instead negotiated a series of stays of execution with the University of Otago.

However, the squash court building, behind the School of Physical Education in Union St West, has been found to be earthquake prone and demolition after a December 31 eviction appears unavoidable.

Bachelor of biomedical science student, and club president, Elizabeth Giles (20), of Greymouth, said she felt "a little bit" of pressure to keep the long-standing club going.

Members remained optimistic they could move to another facility or temporarily play out of another club, but both options presented major difficulties and there was no plan in place.

"We’ve kind of been between a rock and a hard place for the past four or five years," Miss Giles said. "It’s quite difficult having a committee made up of students because everyone leaves after a few years, rotating.

"It’s been quite difficult to try to find a solution in those years with the university trying to get rid of us, so to speak.

"I think we try to stay positive, we don’t want it to disappear, I think it won’t, hopefully.

"But, yeah ... it’s tricky."

The club has an upstairs viewing gallery, recently-renovated changing rooms and three heated courts with new lights and repainted walls.

It boasts 150 members, mostly students, and 60 players use the courts competitively each week.

Discussions with other Dunedin clubs had been held but those talks largely highlighted that without the university squash club courts, the city faced a shortage Miss Giles said.

She wrote to university vice-chancellor David Murdoch to invite him to the club to see "how important and special this place is to keep".

She did not get the answer she was looking for.

"It seems like they don’t really care," she said.

Prof Murdoch wrote that he appreciated that the club had a long history and contributed to the vibrancy of the university campus and community.

But he supported the decision to end the present arrangement, he said.

The Otago University Students’ Association gave the courts to the university in January 2019 on the understanding the university would keep them open for 12 months to give the club time to arrange alternative premises.

The university then extended that deadline to July 2020, September 2020, September 2021, February 2022 and, now most recently the end of this year, he said.

"The previous extensions were possible because our capital programme has been pushed back, but our position has been clearly communicated throughout — we plan to demolish the courts and use the site for other initiatives," Prof Murdoch said.

"Now we are aware that the courts are earthquake prone, we plan to demolish them during 2023, removing a potential hazard, rather than waiting to demolish the building as part of a specific capital project.

"I am sorry if this is not the news you were hoping for."

Club vice-president Hamish Dudley (19), of Invercargill, said because of its central location the majority of the students the club attracted walked to the courts.

The bachelor of science student said the club only paid a nominal rent and had received support from the university "until now".

University chief operating officer Stephen Willis said there was no firm plan as to what the site would be used for.

hamish.maclean@odt.co.nz

 

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