Basketball rues indoor court delay

The Dunsborough Oilers Basketball Club is disappointed its push for an indoor multi-purpose facility in Dunsborough is not included in the plans for the Dunsborough Lakes Sports Precinct.

City of Busselton councillors voted 8-0 to approve a bid to entice $1.175 million in State Government funding to bring forward the DLSP plans during their meeting last week.

The proposed precinct, located on the corner of Dunsborough Lakes Drive and Diamante Boulevard, is priority one in the City’s 10-year strategic plan and will include four rectangle fields, two cricket fields, and four multi-purpose outdoor courts.

Former Dunsborough Oilers president Travis Fassom said players were being turned away from the club and the Busselton Amateur Basketball Association because they had reached capacity on the existing courts at Geographe Leisure Centre, and the community was in desperate need of another indoor facility.

“We have regularly participated in community consultation with detailed submissions, but it has fallen on deaf ears,” he said.

“Some teams can’t train because of a lack of court space, and it’s a nightmare for parents to co-ordinate getting their kids to Dunsborough v Dunsborough games in Busselton.”

Despite the grievances, City of Busselton director of community and commercial services Naomi Searle said the club had not been ignored.

“Their position was considered as part of the Sport and Recreation Facilities Strategy and assessed against the overall needs for all court sports across the district,” she said. “The new site being developed at Dunsborough Lakes will have the capability to be extended in future stages to accommodate additional courts, sporting fields and indoor courts.”

Increasing the number of indoor courts by 2025 is listed as priority six in the plan, with a recommendation of $5.25m in the 2024-25 budget.

“Dunsborough Lakes Sporting Precinct and the GLC are the two sites identified as suitable for this increase in court space,” Ms Searle said. “City officers are working closely with Basketball WA, the District Basketball Association, and the broader basketball community to identify the best location to construct additional courts in 2024/2025.”

Vasse MLA Libby Mettam said it was disappointing the region had been overlooked in recent State Government funding but she was hopeful the upcoming Community Sporting and Recreation Facilities Fund bid would be successful.