A Community Legend - Manukau City Cricket Club

Built for Generations: The Manukau City Cricket Club Community Story

Some projects are measured in square metres. Others are measured in the impact they will have for generations to come.

For the team at Manukau City Cricket Club, the vision for a purpose-built indoor training facility was never just about constructing another building. It was about creating a lasting asset for South Auckland, one that would give young cricketers the opportunity to train year round, keep sport accessible, and provide a safe, all-weather space for the wider community.

The idea was first discussed more than eight years ago by club president Michael Halliday and long-time supporter Peter Zanzoterra. What began as an ambitious concept gradually gathered momentum, bringing together a remarkable group of organisations united by a common goal: investing in the future of local sport. Wiri Licensing Trust backed the build and supported the club's Trillian Trust funding applications, contributing roughly $500,000 toward construction.

That vision is now a 1,100 square metre indoor facility at War Memorial Park in Manurewa, the first of its kind in the Counties Manukau area. Built by Wide Span Sheds' Waikato team, the 50 metre long shed in COLORSTEEL® Flaxpod houses five indoor training nets alongside long-term storage for sporting equipment, groundskeeping gear and event support. Its scale and robust construction mean it's built to stand the test of time, supporting local players and club members for years to come.

Durability was just as important as size. A facility used daily by junior and senior teams, hired out to other codes to help fund its own upkeep, and expected to serve the community for decades needs a building that shrugs off high-frequency use, not just the weather. That's precisely the brief cold-rolled steel construction is designed to answer: low maintenance, no rot, no warping, and a structure that will still be standing strong long after the current committee has moved on.

The numbers back up the vision. Eighteen months after opening, the facility runs at full capacity most winter and spring weeknights and around 80% on weekends, serving the Northern Districts Cricket Association, Counties Manukau Cricket Association, and Papakura and Weymouth club teams, plus school holiday and junior programmes for players from age five through to senior level. "We've got five nets but sometimes 10 wouldn't be enough," says Halliday. "This winter everyone really ramped up their use of the facility."

For Michael Halliday, the significance of the project extends far beyond the building itself. "We're building for the future," he says.

The facility enables year-round training for players of all ages, school holiday programmes, and expanded opportunities for young people to engage with cricket in a safe and structured environment. It also allows the club to generate income by hiring the venue to other sports and organisations, helping fund professional management and long-term growth.

Auckland Mayor Wayne Brown praised both the project and the use of cold-rolled steel at the opening, recognising it as a valuable addition to the South Auckland community. "The structure you've chosen from Wide Span Sheds is a good solution to provide an open area like this at relatively modest cost. I'm a great fan personally of cold-rolled steel sheds. It's the best solution, a good choice, well put together. It gets a 10 out of 10." He added that the impact would be generational: "Generations will grow into sport, into cricket through what has been achieved here."

Wiri Licensing Trust general manager Kim Green agrees. "This facility was the first of its kind in our area and it's fantastic to see it being so well used."

For Wide Span Sheds, this project is a powerful example of how practical, cost-effective steel buildings can support far more than storage or workshops. In this case, the building has become a catalyst for community development, youth participation, and the future of cricket in South Auckland, proof of what the brand stands for: practical, honest, no compromise construction that outlasts the people who commission it.

Built with the same commitment to quality and durability that underpins every Wide Span project, this facility will serve thousands of players, families, and community members for decades to come.

Some sheds store equipment. This one will help shape the next generation.

Read more about the facility's impact from Wiri Licensing Trust: wiritrust.co.nz/indoor-cricket-training-centre-proves-its-worth