A $500,000 patch of dirt in Basketball ACT's backyard is about to become home to new indoor courts as the ACT government finally answers calls to ease the strain on community facilities.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
or signup to continue reading
An expansion and upgrade of the Belconnen Basketball Stadium and a $7.4 million investment into upgrades to district netball facilities have made basketball and netball two of sport's big winners in the ACT Budget announced on Tuesday.
A final dollar figure on investment into Belconnen's ageing facility is yet to be settled upon as Basketball ACT bosses continue negotiations with the city's political power brokers.
Now plans for three more courts on a vacant block of land next to Belconnen Basketball Stadium will help to cater for a sport bursting at the seams in what looms as a major coup for Basketball ACT given they have paid more than $500,000 in rates for the block over the past decade.
MORE SPORT:
"We haven't finalised what the plan looks like and what the three courts may have. Unfortunately we're not able to say exactly where the dollar figure will land, but we're pleased to be able say the ACT government will be investing in basketball facilities.
"We're looking into the best model to deliver our proposed upgrades moving forward. We are really grateful to be able to work closely with the government to be able to invest in and create more facilities, places and spaces to play basketball.
"We're still in the early stages of negotiating and working out what that looks like. We'll consult with all of our key stakeholders to work towards these three new courts."
However Bowles says the reality is three new courts will only sustain basketball's booming popularity for so long.
A record 7067 players are registered for Basketball ACT's winter competitions this year, compared to 4698 in 2020 - and projections suggest those numbers will continue to skyrocket in the coming years.
The prospect of games running until almost 11pm is a stark reality of the demands placed on Belconnen Basketball Stadium's four courts.
Basketball ACT also uses the Tuggeranong Basketball Stadium, while games are often shifted to high schools as demand intensifies.
Bowles says the prospect of a new facility on the "expensive bit of dirt" next to Belconnen's stadium is a huge boost, tipping the association has paid more than $500,000 to keep the block in its possession.
"Three courts will mean a lot to us at Belconnen to be able to keep growing the sport and know what we're working towards in future cycles, so we can start planning and looking at what our growth and demand looks like," Bowles said.
"We're keeping a realistic lens on the fact three courts is not going to sustain us for very long. By the time they're built, we'll be able to fill them based on our current projections and trajectories.
"We need to keep making sure there are indoor spaces for us to continue to play and participate across the full Canberra region.
"We are really pleased and proud of the community and how they've come together to raise our voices and advocate for an investment in basketball facilities across Canberra.
"We know, whilst we're talking about three courts in Belconnen, we know there are needs across the whole Canberra region for greater access to indoor sporting facilities. We'll continue to advocate for the government to continue to invest."
Meanwhile, grant funding to Netball ACT will allow the association to undertake improvements across five district netball facilities, including for the replacement of playing surfaces, pavement repair and stormwater management improvements.
Government officials hail the initiative as one which builds on funding provided in 2022 for roof repairs at the ACT Netball Centre in Lyneham.
We've made it a whole lot easier for you to have your say. Our new comment platform requires only one log-in to access articles and to join the discussion on The Canberra Times website. Find out how to register so you can enjoy civil, friendly and engaging discussions. See our moderation policy here.
Caden Helmers
Caden Helmers is a sports writer for The Canberra Times.
Caden Helmers is a sports writer for The Canberra Times.
