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Sport and Recreation Minister Yvette Berry joined Basketball ACT chief executive officer Nicole Bowles to announce a $37.5 million expansion to the Belconnen Basketball Stadium. Photo: Jarryd Rowley.<\/p>\n
In its first major upgrade in three decades, the Belconnen Basketball Stadium is set to almost double in size, with the ACT Government committing $37.5 million to build three new courts.<\/p>\n
The sizeable expansion will also include new restrooms and changerooms, with a retractable show court being the main attraction.<\/p>\n
The plans will increase the total number of courts from four to seven.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, the new show court would also allow for up to 1800 spectators, giving potential for the Canberra Gunners games to be moved back to Belconnen once the works are complete.<\/p>\n
However, despite the monetary pledge, neither the ACT Government nor Basketball ACT are able to give a timeline as to when works on the expansion will start or end.<\/p>\n
Basketball ACT chief executive officer Nicole Bowles confirmed there were no concrete plans for when shovels would hit the ground, but said she hoped the expansion would be completed by the end of the decade.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019d like to see it finished tomorrow, but realistically, if it can come online in the next four to five years, that\u2019s what we\u2019re planning,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
\u201cAnything forward of that is incredible, but once it is ready, we will be ready to fill it, activate it and make the space available to the community.<\/p>\n
\u201cAs a whole, we\u2019ve seen an 83 per cent growth in Basketball ACT from 2022 to the current time, which is significant. There are now more than 14,000 registered players in the ACT.<\/p>\n
\u201cOur vision is to have 100 per cent growth by 2029. We\u2019re on the way to achieving that and bringing facilities like this online means that we\u2019re able to continue reaching and striving for that vision.\u201d<\/p>\n
Sport and Recreation Minister Yvette Berry said the new stadium would potentially give the Canberra Gunners and the Canberra Capitals a home court to play on. Currently, both teams play at Tuggeranong\u2019s Southern Cross Stadium, which holds a capacity crowd of 1200.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe spectator experience will be improved by having a facility that\u2019s purpose-built for hosting big games,\u201d Ms Berry said.<\/p>\n
\u201cObviously, we have to go through the procurement for a contract, as you do all types of construction works. There\u2019ll be many opportunities to celebrate and milestones that we\u2019ll be meeting along the way.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019ll make sure we keep everybody up to date.\u201d<\/p>\n
Planning work on the Belconnen Basketball Stadium redevelopment will continue in the second half of this year, with construction timelines to be confirmed as the project progresses through planning and procurement.<\/p>\n
The $37.5 million for the project will be funded as part of the 2026\/27 ACT budget.<\/p>\n