'As netball is predominantly women’s sport, they don’t see the value in doing it.' Eight new netball courts were officially opened last year in Yarra Bend Park in Melbourne’s inner north – but netballers have never set foot on them.
Eight new netball courts were officially opened last year in Yarra Bend park in Melbourne’s inner north but netballers have been unable to use them because of an outstanding permit and lease.
Community Sports Minister Ros Spence opened the $8 million netball facility in September last year, but the unused courts have been gathering dust since then. The City of Yarra and the state government blame each other for the delays.this week have been left frustrated as piles of dirt still surround the facility and temporary fencing blocks access.
“Those courts at Yarra Bend have been sitting there for almost a year since the official opening. There was landscaping works and mounds of soil that need to be moved, and it all just stalled,” Allen said.“It just got handballed between Parks Victoria and [the Department of] Sport and Recreation and the Yarra Council and nobody wants to take ownership of it.”The association is based at Ryan’s Reserve in Richmond. Allen said that site, which has just four courts, was at capacity.
Allana Sharman, head of government relations at Netball Victoria, said the mounds of dirt and temporary fencing meant it was not safe to run competitions at the site. The new facilities at Fairlea Reserve in Fairfield include eight competition-standard netball courts, a pavilion with change rooms and viewing areas, a kitchen, meeting rooms and competition-grade lighting.
“We firmly believe this low participation rate is linked to the lack of facilities within the area,” Sharman said. “If we don’t have facilities like this at a regional scale, we are not going to grow our future Diamonds.”
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