Basketball ACT blasts ACT government budget for lack of indoor courts

They're facing an indoor court crisis when community sport hopefully resumes next month, although the government has provided a ray of sunshine by saying facilities at public schools will be available for use.

It was originally thought schools would remain closed to visitors when the lockdown ends, but the government told The Canberra Times they would now be available for sporting groups to use outside of school hours.

The government also said they would look to address the shortage of indoor courts when building new public high schools.

But Basketball ACT president Allan Yates said it was obvious this wasn't the complete answer.

They've been crying out for more facilities as the sport enjoys a popularity boom, further enhanced by the Boomers' and Patty Mills' Olympic bronze medal.

Despite that, The Canberra Times revealed Basketball ACT was looking to sell their block of land next door to their Belconnen Basketball Stadium because they'd been unable to get funding to build on it.

They've paid almost $600,000 in rates for the block over the past decade.

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"Community sport appears to have taken a distant backseat to the needs of the events and high-performance space, despite the existing indoor community sport facilities being stretched to the limit - and there seems to be no outlook for funding in the future," Yates said.

"BACT is disappointed that the needs of our grassroots sporting community are not being considered a priority and we believe the government clearly does not understand the gravity of the shortage of indoor facilities in the region.

"We call on the ACT government to consider its role in supporting all of the community and not just the top end of sport."

It's hoped competitive basketball will resume mid November as COVID-19 restrictions ease and the government said public school facilities would be available.

"The ACT government has been working with Basketball ACT on their ongoing needs, and is looking to address some of the facility shortfall for indoor sports, including basketball, through the provision of double court gymnasiums at new public high schools," an ACT government spokesperson said.

"This includes the recently opened Evelyn Scott School in Molonglo, and intends to include double court gymnasiums at all future new public high schools, including the future Kenny High School.

"Although there are currently restrictions due to the lockdown, these facilities will be available for community use for a range of sporting groups outside of school hours."