Space: “What are the benefits of moveable side walls?”

If you’re planning to buy squash courts and open a squash center, there are several decisions that need to be made. The first being: should it be a club which is solely committed to squash, with a dedicated programme and coaching team? Or should it be a sports facility which offers the opportunity for other leisure activities in addition to squash? Either scenario would benefit from ASB’s Movable SideWalls in a major way.

The dedicated squash facility

Depending on the country and its interest for squash, the doubles game is an important factor not only in the elite programmes but also on an advanced level. Doubles squash has a high popularity in the Commonwealth Countries as well as the Americas; being a part of prestigious sporting events such as the Commonwealth Games and PanAmerican Games. Therefore naturally, a club with an aspiring programme should be able to offer both its junior and pro players the option for doubles squash. This should be achieved not by having a doubles court that cannot be used for singles play, but by offering the option to convert a singles court into a doubles court. An ASB Movable SideWall offers exactly this within minutes.

The leisure center

In this scenario, one of the key factors is dedicated space and the usage per square meter (sqm). By adding three squash courts, approx. 190 sqm are used up for squash only. This means over 30 sqm per person are dedicated to squash only, whereas the amount in the fitness area may be 2-4 sqm per person. This brings up the dilemma squash often has to face: it uses up too much space and does not earn enough money for the center owner.

The key to overcoming this dilemma is multi-functionality. By using the court area for other sports and optimizing schedules and occupancy rates of the courts, every center owner can get the maximum return out of his investment. The secret ingredient in this recipe is the use of an ASB movable side wall. This way, a bank of 3 courts can be converted into a free space of approx. 190 sqm, once the side walls are moved to the far left and far right. This enables the owner to use the space which is dedicated to squash in other ways such as aerobic classes, zumba, badminton, volleyball and many other games.

Last but not least, depending on the layout of the club, an ASB Movable SideWall can also be used to free-up additional spectator space. A regular squash center can be converted into a squash arena, by offering space for more spectators in the adjacent or opposite squash courts. Squash on Fire (one of the most modern squash centers in America), has a movable side wall next to its ASB ShowGlassCourt. They can convert the adjacent, regular squash court into 64 sqm of additional spectator seating for tournaments, in almost no time.