Boroondara council holds the ball on netball courts as cricket and soccer thrives

Melbourne netballers have been waiting years for new courts - despite a glut of nearby ovals for sports played mostly by boys - as Boroondara council holds the ball.

Netballers Olivia Tilbrook, 11, Scarlett Woodhead, 11 and Jack Urie, 16, want new netball courts now. Picture: Jason Edwards

One of Melbourne’s biggest netball associations has been waiting five years to get four new courts, despite a nearby glut of ovals for sports played mostly by boys.

Boroondara Netball Association received $1.2 million from the federal government to fund the additional courts, but is in danger of losing the money if it’s not spent by the end of the month.

Boroondara Council still hasn’t signed off on their preferred location of Macleay Park in Balwyn North, which has six ovals used for cricket, baseball and soccer.

There are already eight netball courts and the association wants an additional four.

“In the City of Boroondara there are 60 ovals for other sporting codes and one venue for netball – we are asking for the equivalent of 1.5 ovals,” association president Dr Sue Reddish said.

Girls desperate to play netball in the eastern suburbs are waiting five years for new courts while more than 60 nearby ovals cater for other sports. Picture: Jason Edwards

“We are trying to cater for our current members, but more courts would enable us to provide male and all-abilities competitions as well,” she said.

The association – the city’s third biggest with 21 clubs and 3500 players – has been running games with seven-minute quarters due to the space squeeze.

“It’s frustrating given that we offer a pathway from junior to elite,” Dr Reddish said.

Carolyn McClean, director of community sport at the City of Boroondara, said council was yet to consider the proposal “to convert public open space to four hard surface netball courts”.

“Consultation regarding the proposal has commenced with the adjacent residential community, other park users and other sporting clubs, one of which will be displaced by the BNA proposal with no alternative available,” she said.

Dr Reddish said their preferred oval was not used by other sports. “We are trying to increase the amenities in the area – our courts are used by a vast number of local families for informal activities such as bike riding, skate boarding, dancing, remote control cars and children’s parties,” she said.

The Association will present its case to the council at a meeting on June 28.

Ms McClean said the council had allocated $9 million in recent years to support female participation in all sports.

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