The Narrabundah community is calling on the ACT Government to upgrade its only basketball court, which has cracks in the ground and aging baskets, making it unsafe to play on. Photo: Jarryd Rowley.
The Narrabundah community is calling on the ACT Government to upgrade a neglected basketball court that has served the community for over 40 years.
With residents no longer considering the court safe, members of the Old Narrabundah Community Council have launched a government petition to have the cement courts resurfaced and the baskets completely replaced.
In its current condition, cracks have formed under the hoop on the Kootara Crescent side of the court, with an anthill growing out of the breaks in the cement. Neither basket sits at the recommended 10 ft height and they are also tilted. The dimensions of each backboard are considerably different from each other.
According to the petition, upgrading the courts would cost the ACT Government around $200,000.
Lead petitioner and Old Narrabundah Community Council representative Mark Rounds said the courts represent a meeting place for the Narrabundah community, which has been rallying for upgrades since 2021.
Mr Rounds said Canberra has great community sporting facilities, including the new $4 million Inner North Play Space in Watson, but highlighted that reviving old courts like the one in Narrabundah would cost a fraction of building new sites.
“This court has been in the community for more than 40 years, but not much has been done to it in that time,” he said.
“There are huge cracks and fissures throughout the court. You can hardly see the lines. Kids fall over all the time, and one side of the court is completely unplayable.
“We’re asking for some investment to get this court up to scratch and playable, with the main purpose being to try to achieve community connections.
“The new outdoor spaces at places like Watson are fantastic; we applaud the government for what they’ve done there, but with $37 million for recreational areas in this year’s budget, we just ask that they look our way and dedicate a little to our community.
“The Winnunga Nimmityjah Aboriginal Health Centre is just up the road. The Salvation Army’s youth housing program is across the street, there’s a school right next door, and there’s plenty of residents in the surrounding area. It makes a lot of sense to invest in this court.”
Narrabundah community groups and residents have joined Independent MLA Thomas Emerson to petition for court upgrades. Photo: Jarryd Rowley.
Winnunga Nimmityjah Aboriginal Health CEO Julie Tongs said it’s vital for communities to have safe, well-maintained sporting facilities, and not everyone could travel to Belconnen or Tuggeranong to play basketball.
“With a little bit of care, this could be a great facility for a lot of young people in Narrabundah,” she said.
“There’s a real perception in Canberra that everybody’s got a car, that the public transport’s great, and people can get to these other facilities. That’s just not the case, and kids are often the ones who miss out the most because of it.
“I think that’d be every parent’s dream to have a space where their kids can play safely close to home.
“Who knows the possibilities that could occur if this court gets some love. We could maybe one day have our own Narrabundah basketball team, which would be amazing.”
Since the petition launched late last week (17 September), it has gained over 120 of the 500 signatures necessary for it to be debated at the ACT Legislative Assembly.
The petition’s supporting MLA Thomas Emerson said there have been encouraging signs for the potential renovation, with deputy chief minister Rachel Stephen-Smith visiting the courts in the last week.
“The deputy chief minister came out and met with the community here, and they’ve shown an interest and openness to being part of this project, which I think is really encouraging,” he said.
“What we’re keen to see is a strong response to the petition to show that there’s strong demand for investment from the government in this area.
“In its current condition, it’s unsafe, and it’s not a very attractive facility for the people of Narrabundah. It’s only fair that they are granted the same opportunities as other areas around Canberra, which include safe sporting facilities.”
The petition to upgrade the Narrabundah Outdoor Basketball Court can be signed on the ACT Parliament website and is open until 6 February 2027.
