Squash legend Michelle Martin fronts campaign to save North Manly courts

One of Australia’s greatest squash players has raised a racket over the council’s proposal for new courts on the northern beaches.

Former squash world number one squash player Michelle Martin is not happy with the way Northern Beaches Council is explaining its proposals for the Warringah Recreation Centre’s squash facility.

A three-time world women’s squash champion fears for the future of the sport on the northern beaches after the council told a squash club it was kicking it out of council-owned courts.

Squash great Michelle Martin — number one in the world for six years — is upset that Northern Beaches Council has handed a “Notice to Vacate” within 90 days to the operators of the North Manly Squash Club.

The council has also told another tenant of its Warringah Recreation Centre at Manly, Voyager Tennis Academy, that it had to be out of the premises by April 11 to make way for the construction of the neighbouring Warringah Golf Club’s new clubhouse on part of the site.

But the council said that as part of a $5 million makeover of the recreation centre, announced late last year, there would still be room for at least three squash courts and five tennis courts.

Former world champion Squash player Michelle Martin, who coaches at the Warringah Recreation Centre, wants to see more details about the council’s plans for the site. Picture: David Swift

Martin, who coaches at the squash club, has ripped into the council for not providing information about how long the club, leased to private operator Jeff O’Donnell, would be closed for.

And she is worried that the council might change its mind about continuing to have squash facilities as part of the revamped recreation centre.

The initial vision for the new Warringah Golf Club clubhouse included 95 car park spaces. Picture: Supplied

“I’ve got concerns that the council is not disclosing what it’s actually doing,” Martin said.

“The golf clubhouse will encroach on the squash and tennis facility which has been there from the year dot.

“The council has said they are happy to work with the sports to give us what we want, but we are not being given a clear picture about what they’re actually doing.

The ageing squash facility at the Warringah Recreation Centre at North Manly in June, 2022. Picture: Jim O'Rourke

The squash courts at the Warringah Recreation Centre at North Manly are feeling their age. Picture: Jim O'Rourke

“I’m worried they’ll turn around and say that they ran out of money and they can’t build the new squash courts because they’ve got to build new car parks, a bus stop, lighting, landscaping and a bridge over (Brookvale) creek.”

Martin said Mr O’Donnell, who is currently overseas, received the Notice to Vacate at the beginning of January.

“That’s outrageous when you consider that the DAs for the golf clubhouse and the new recreation centre haven’t even gone up for public viewing yet,” she said.

The Warringah Recreation Centre at the corner of Pittwater and Kentwell roads at North Manly, look set to be demolished later this year. Picture: Martin Lange

“He could be out of business for months and months, even up to a year.

“The council has talked about moving the club to another facility, but there are no other suitable facilities on the northern beaches.”

The council confirmed it would advertise a tender for eligible businesses to operate from the premises once the work was completed.

The golf club has lodged a DA to build the $6m two-storey community clubhouse, but details of the DA are not yet public because the council is waiting on more material.

The council said on Tuesday that the new multi-sport facility on the site of the current squash centre would have at a minimum three indoor squash courts alongside five new synthetic tennis courts with floodlights.

“Separate to this project, as part of wider precinct improvements within District Park, a new golf clubhouse will be constructed, as well as two new public carparks,” a statement read.

“The golf club will pay for the clubhouse and the council will pay for the carparks.”

Noah Marolly, 7, has a hit against the then Warringah Mayor Michael Regan on the new Hot Shot courts at the Warringah Recreation Centre in December 2015. Picture: Troy Snook

It confirmed that current operators at the recreation centre had recently been given notice to vacate by April 11 and told if there were delays with DAs, a further holding over period was possible.

The council has also been talking with sporting bodies, including Squash NSW, about what it wanted at the new recreation centre.

Mayor Michael Regan said the upgraded centre would allow for a wider range of sports, across a wider range of ages and levels.

“The new recreation centre will be flexible, multipurpose, intergenerational, and accessible for all,” he said.

“It will support the local squash and tennis community and support the next generation of sportspeople.”