LEPBC has a very proud history since 1977. It all started when the very successful Panmure Badminton Club was spreading its wings and more courts were needed to accommodate sufficient court times. The Panmure Young Citizens Centre couldn’t offer much help and neither did the Auckland City Council or the Mt Wellington Borough Council.
This is the time when the ‘Man for the Millennium’ Eric G Whiteley fortunately met Councillor Barry Curtis who suggested applying for consent to build at Lloyd Elsmore Park under the Shared Responsibility Scheme (The Government subsidising the club dollar for dollar for 25% and the Manukau City Council providing the remaining 50% by way of an interest free loan for 17 years).
A building committee was formed with him as Chairman and a successful application was made on 03/12/74 subject to a suitable site being available and Council having the necessary funds. Fund raising began and for seven years the Club investigated and tried every conceivable method known to mankind and some not known.