CALLS to repair a rundown basketball facility in Mill Park are to be answered with the creation of a full court worth $32,000.
Whittlesea Council has voted to incorporate a full basketball court at Mimosa Park, after residents submitted a 66-signature petition last year calling for the council to upgrade the facility – which consists of a concrete slab and a basketball ring.
A community consultation, which ended last month, asked the public if they would prefer to see a half or a full court created at the site. Of the 78 responses received, 72 per cent were in favour of the full court.
Four responses were received against the full court proposal, citing concerns of noise and late night anti-social activities.
The move is a first for the council, which has previously provided full court facilities only in regional parks where there have been complementary active recreation programs and adequate space to support them.
Councillor Norm Kelly said the community response regarding the facility was one of the highest the council had seen.
Supporting the decision, councillor Rex Griffin said: “It is important that we listen to people and we communicate with them, and the situation is that this is what the needs are of that area and good luck to them.”
However, councillor Frank Merlino argued the creation of a court would infringe on the open space and that it could lead to other facilities such as a pavilion being built at the park.
“We have very little space and we should not be reducing it,” he said.
Whittlesea mayor Stevan Kozmevski supported the vote to create the court, saying it was a positive move to promote exercise among young people.
“We hear about obesity so this is something in the right direction,” he said.
The work will be completed as part of the council’s New Works program, which will also see an upgrade of the playground and landscape improvements at Mimosa Park.
