Hakoah Club’s White City, Paddington: Everything you need to know

The $65m White City project has been green lit, so how will membership work, how much will it cost and how can you become part of the best sport club in Sydney? Find out.

Membership at the incredible White City redevelopment will cost as little as a cup of coffee a week, it can be revealed.
The Hakoah Club president has spoken to the Wentworth Courier at length about the project after it received its final approval in the Land and Environment Court.

Woollahra Council and Hakoah ultimately came together to negotiate the final details of the sprawling $65 million project, located in Paddington next to the Sydney Grammar School campus, earlier this month.

There will be nine tennis courts.

The project has attracted its fair share of community angst in the six years since the first development application was lodged, with concerns including noise and whether non Jewish community members would be able to use the facilities.

Hakoah Club president Steven Lowy said while the club was underpinned by Jewish culture, people from all faiths and backgrounds were welcome.

Entry level memberships will cost as little as $5 per week – although you will still need an introduction by an existing club member to join.

A cafe to refuel after all that sporting fun.

Non-members can continue to use the tennis courts which will still be run by the Maccabi Tennis Club and they will also be able to join the gym and wellness centre.

Community groups and sports clubs can rent the fields which can accommodate sports including cricket, basketball, netball, football, soccer and futsal.

School sports carnivals will be welcomed.

The club house will boast a cafe and restaurant and has been given conditional approval to operate, including hosting events, until midnight seven days a week.

Non Hakoah Club members can join the gym and wellness centre.

“There’s no doubt the new Hakoah Club at White City, while based on Jewish values and culture and essentially funded mostly by the Jewish community, will be open to the broader community,” Mr Lowy said.

The former Westfield CEO, who is the youngest son of billionaire Frank Lowy, said Hakoah hoped to break ground in late 2021 with the facility expected to open in late 2023.

“The Hakoah Club in Bondi was a very much loved communal facility with a deep history of both Jewish and non Jewish members,” Mr Lowy said.

“It was a deeply respectful and warm environment we created and we expect that to continue but this time with very modern sporting facilities in addition to the club’s community and social facilities.

“We expect when it opens it will make a very, very positive contribution to those who use it not only those in Woollahra Council, but I’d say Waverley, Randwick and maybe even further to the south.”

Supplied Editorial A new artist impression of the Hakoah Club at White City

Woollahra mayor Susan Wynne said she would continue to work with Hakoah Club as the organisation executed the development.

“There has been a great deal of community interest in the White City development and while council is satisfied with the agreed outcome, which was endorsed by the Court and Sydney Eastern City Planning Panel, the focus is now on ensuring as little impact as possible during the construction phase,” Mayor Wynne said.

“I am confident that the project will bring a key community asset back to life and also celebrate the site’s history.”

Woollahra councillor Harriet Price said her constituents in Paddington had concerns about noise impacts, particularly with the midnight operating hours, and also how accessible the club would be.

Cr Price said she was keen to hear more about the specifics of how the club would operate.

“All these complaints about noise and everything, a lot of people I feel would put up with it if they knew they really could shoot a couple of hoops or go for a swim in the pool or the local public school could have a carnival there,” Cr Price said.

Wentworth MP Dave Sharma, whose government granted Hakoah $7.5 million to put towards the community facilities, said White City would be welcomed.

“At the moment this is dormant and under-utilised land that’s crying out for activation and being open to the community,” Mr Sharma said.

“The proposal that Hakoah has on the table will create an enduring community and recreational asset.”

The project is expected to create 250 jobs during its construction, dozens more once it is operational and is projected to create flow on benefits to the economy of more than $100 million.