AusLeisure

Work on the new $10.88 million basketball stadium to be built adjacent to the Sandringham Leisure Centre in south east Melbourne is set to commence before Christmas.

The new four-court expansion of the Sandringham Basketball Stadium - taking the facility to eight courts - is the result of a partnership between Bayside City Council and the Southern Basketball Association (SBA), previously known as Sandringham Basketball Association, who will contribute $3 million towards the overall cost of the new facilities.

Explaining the demand for the new facility, SBA Chief Executive, Craig Weir stated “we have 12 domestic clubs representing over 620 teams and 5,000 junior players each season along with our adult domestic, junior (VJBL) and senior (Big V) representative teams, through to our NBL1 South Men’s and Women’s basketball programs.

“The new facilities will enable us to continue to support grassroots basketball in the Bayside region as well as further enhance the basketball pathway for many juniors and seniors who are aspiring to develop their basketball careers.”

SBA President Phil McFarlane said the timing of the announcement meant that the Association can now plan with confidence how to best support the current and future growth of basketball in the Bayside area, adding “we have been bursting at the seams for some time now and the court expansion will enable us to capture that growth and build upon the strong foundations that we have already established here.

“The funding confirmation for the additional courts is very welcome news in a challenging and difficult year, and I thank everyone involved for their efforts to get us to this stage.”

The new facilities will meet the current and future needs of basketball locally and enable Southern Basketball Association to expand its programs.

The Southern Basketball Association currently has more than 10,000 members and players participating in more than 22,500 games per year with over 1,000,000 visitors each year, including 450,000 spectators.

Council officers worked closely with local wildlife and environmental groups to design and appropriately locate the courts to protect more trees and create a safe corridor to the nearby Tulip Street Pond for frogs and other wildlife.

In addition to the four indoor court extension, the project includes: change rooms with individual showers and toilets; storage, reception, canteen and first aid room; air circulation system throughout stadium; an 80,000 litre water tank; 80kw solar energy system and additional car parking.

All facilities and businesses at Sandringham Leisure Centre will remain open during the construction with play continuing on the existing basketball courts.

The Lloyd Group Pty Ltd has been awarded the contract to build the new facilities.

Image: Concept for the new $10.88 million basketball stadium to be built adjacent to the Sandringham Leisure Centre.

Related Articles

11th October 2021 - Work starts on Victoria’s new $132 million State Basketball Centre

21st September 2021 - MKTG announced as official commercial partner for FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup 2022

21st September 2021 - Basketball Australia appoints Lauren Jackson to head up women and girls’ strategy

19th August 2021 - Logan City Council enters into agreement with Basketball Queensland for management of Logan Metro Sports and Events Centre

2nd July 2021 - Basketball Australia names Matt Scriven as new chief executive

8th June 2021 - Basketball Australia and Hoop City combine to back elite 3X3 program

8th May 2021 - Teenager fatally stabbed in attack at community basketball venue in Melbourne’s west

19th March 2021 - Basketball Australia racial equality review criticises ‘white boys’ club’ mentality

19th February 2019 - Basketball Victoria and Ace Seating agree exclusive partnership 

12th May 2020 - Smoking banned across all Bayside beaches

6th April 2020 - Bayside City Council undertakes coastal protection works

9th September 2021 - Victorian Government to establish new sports innovation centre

20th September 2016 - Guide aims to make sport more welcoming for Victorian women

8th October 2015 - Victoria reveals new approach to infrastructure and design

---

Support our industry news service
We hope that you value the news that we publish so while you're here can we ask for your support?

As an independent publisher, we need reader support for our industry news gathering so ask that - if you don't already do so - you back us by subscribing to the printed Australasian Leisure Management magazine and/or our online news.