Basketball on track to boom in inner west and city after Perry Park opening

After nearly 28-years of campaigning for a new sports stadium, the City of Sydney Basketball Association’s prayers have been answered.

Gus and Molly Ammit outside the new basketball stadium at Perry Park in Alexandria. Picture: Jordan Shields.

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AFTER nearly 28-years of campaigning for a new sports stadium, the City of Sydney Basketball Association’s prayers have been answered.

Alexandria’s Perry Park will open in early 2019 and will feature four new basketball courts once complete.

Director, Robert Van Houten said the new facility will enable the association, which has 2500 members, to nearly double its numbers and build the next generation of sporting stars.

City of Sydney Basketball Association have been lobbying for a new stadium since the 1990s and now will have one. Picture: Jordan Shields.

Campaigning for a new facility started in the 1990s, and Mr Van Houten said their current stadium, on Maddox St, which has just two indoor courts, has been around for 50-years.

“From having this stadium for 50-years to having access to six courts in the next few years, is a big step for us and something we are happy about,” he said.

“This building hasn’t changed since I came in 1974 to play from the States. It is still the same building, the same two courts and the same stands.

Lachlan Wheeler, Gus Ammit, Storm Turner, City of Sydney Basketball Association Director Robert Van Houten, Molly Ammit and Evangeline Wheeler outside the new basketball stadium at Perry Park in Alexandria. Picture: Jordan Shields.

“Now we look around and we are up against people with six, seven and ten courts.”

Despite their lack of playing space, they are one of the most successful basketball associations in the country.

General Manager Ben Osborne said they have always been at capacity.

“We do feel like if we had ten courts, we would fill it, but this is a really good start,” he said.

Once the facility is open, Mr Van Houten’s next goal is to get more players.

“Our big push now is to get more competitions going, to get more people playing and our big push is to get the very young ones, from the ages of five to ten,” he said.

“I want to get down to the grassroots level and get those young kids playing in this facility.

“I want to be able to say sorry, we need more courts.”

Mr Osborne said numbers will lead to performance.

Lachlan Wheeler, Gus Ammit, Storm Turner, Molly Ammit and Evangeline Wheeler outside the new basketball stadium at Perry Park in Alexandria. Picture: Jordan Shields.

A City of Sydney Spokesman said the new facility will include two indoor, two outdoor multi purpose courts for netball, basketball, volleyball, badminton, futsal and other sports.

It will also feature a kiosk, change rooms and an outdoor terrace.

“The recreation centre will operate alongside the existing basketball courts run by the City of Sydney Basketball Association, which is an independent community group,” the spokesman said.

“The courts will be allocated for regular periods to sporting and community groups, but will also be available for casual hire by the community.

“There is growing demand for sporting facilities by residents of all ages throughout the inner city which is why we’ve invested heavily in providing these facilities.”

City of Sydney also plan to convert a warehouse in Alexandria into a major indoor sporting complex for local clubs and organisations.