Thanks to some dedicated community members and a little help from Council’s newest mini Community-led initiatives grant, Te Aroha will soon be home to FREE Pickleball at the Domain!

Local group, Aroha Pickleball have got the ball rolling by borrowing equipment from nearby clubs, testing tape versus chalk for lines and is now ready to open things up for a trial at the Te Aroha Domain. The pickleball set up will be located next to the basketball courts on specific days for four weeks from 4 May - 1 June 2024 (with a little wiggle room if the weather is really bad).

Pickleball is a fun paddle sport enjoyed by millions worldwide and apparently is New Zealand’s fastest growing sport. It is a cross between tennis, badminton and table tennis (or ping pong). It is played on a badminton doubles-sized court using paddles and a hollow plastic ball with holes. The net is slightly lower than a tennis net. Rules are simple and the game is easy for beginners to learn, but can develop into a quick, fast-paced, competitive game for experienced players.

As the equipment is removable, the group will promote their days and hours via local social media and other channels. Aroha Pickleball have agreed to start with:

• Tuesdays from 4 to 6pm
• Saturdays from 11am to 1pm
• Sundays from 2pm to 4pm

The first session starts tomorrow Saturday 4 May, to contact the organiser directly for more information email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Everyone is welcome and should come out and give it a try.

The pickleball initiative received grant funding because it is low cost to set up and it enables community participation. This is done by highlighting the domain, promoting healthy living and creating a family-friendly option of safe recreation in Te Aroha. Trials such as this one, are a great way to gauge community support in a safe, low cost and low risk manner. It is important to note that from these small temporary initiatives, bigger and more permanent opportunities can grow. 

To get things rolling, Aroha Pickleball applied to Council’s Pride of Place – Community-led initiatives grant which is designed to support small scale ideas led by community and provides a maximum $2000 contribution (but most initiatives applied for are expected to cost less than that). The application process is simple but it does require evidence of how initiatives will contribute to making our towns better and all initiaves must be offered free to the community.

If you know anyone who may be interested in applying for this special grant, please encourage them to call Council on 07 884 0060 and ask for the Pride of Place team for assistance. Alternatively, they can also visit the website to learn about eligibility at mpdc.nz/popgrant.

We are accepting applications throughout the year but it is first come first serve so please do reach out before the small pot of funds disappears. Not all initiatives will require funding but we have staff that can help navigate Council channels to help get your initiative off the ground like Aroha Pickleball did!