For decades, City of Armadale kids keen to play netball or basketball have either missed out, or been ferried miles outside the area to get an association game.
“We’ve only got five netball courts – and they’ve often got other markings on them so they can be shared with other sports,” Mayor Ruth Butterfield said.
“Basketball has only three courts – so not flash.”
The dearth of facilities has meant local kids’ participation rates in these two sports are severely lagging: the basketball participation rate within the city is just two percent, compared to the WA average of 15.4 percent; netball participation in Armadale is half of the estimated demand, according to Netball WA Group CEO Simone Hansen.
“We know there’s about 1000 people who play netball from Armadale, but they actually have to play outside the city. And we know we’ll be able to double that as soon as we’ve got the courts for people to play on,” she said.
With the city’s population expected to grow by another 45,000 by 2041, this chronic shortfall will be exacerbated even further.
It’s not a new problem, and the City of Armadale has been floating a plan to close the gap for decades, since 1991, in fact.
But last year they got serious, releasing a Business Case for the Haynes-based Armadale Regional Recreation Reserve (ARRR) – a multi-stage development that will offer high quality grounds and infrastructure for a range of regional-level and competition-level sports, including five AFL-sized ovals, six soccer fields, two rugby league fields, and BMX and competition jump tracks.
Stage One of the ARRR will address the critical gaps in netball and basketball infrastructure by providing 20 new outdoor and eight indoor courts alongside a cutting-edge indoor sporting complex with gym and community facilities.
“This is going to be an absolute mecca for sports in the region,” City of Armadale CEO Joanne Abbiss said.
“And there’s not anyone that we’ve spoken to anywhere that’s said this isn’t needed.”
All current local members (state and federal) have publicly lauded the ‘vision’, but to date there’s been a significant lack of political appetite to fund the high-cost project.
Stage 1 is slated to cost $76 million.
The City of Armadale has committed to $10 million of the outlay, but significant funding promises by both state and federal governments is needed to give the project wings.
Thankfully, the planets are aligning this year; with two elections looming, the City of Armadale has its best chance of jockeying for the cash needed to bring the ARRR to life.
The only issue is that every other local government in the state has the same idea.
So, the City of Armadale is gathering cheerleaders for its cause.
Last week, the city signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Netball WA and Basketball WA to commit to joint advocacy for Stage One of the project.
“We’d like to thank the City of Armadale for inviting basketball to the party,” Basketball WA CEO Nathan Cave said.
“I recently had the privilege of presenting jerseys to a team of state athletes with disabilities.
“One of those boys’ parents were worried he’d never play sport – and here he was representing Western Australia.
“They never thought he’d get a job, and they never thought he’d get his licence. But he’s done both of those things, and it started with the confidence he got from our basketball program.
“I often think that we’re turning away thousands of kids because we simply don’t have the facilities. How many times have we disrupted another child on that same journey?”
Netball WA Group CEO Simone Hansen said Armadale has been given priority one status in the Netball WA Strategic Facilities Plan released last week.
“Netball WA is looking forward to assisting the City of Armadale to advocate for the project with both state and federal governments,” she said.
