Background

Queanbeyan & District Basketball is a voluntary sporting group catering for ages 4 years to 60 years. The association was established 30 years ago and conduct totball, mini, junior and senior competitions as well as run a very successful representative program. (Roadrunners). The association has over 450 children and 250 adult players through the facility on a weekly basis. Add to that an additional 400 spectators. Other users include YMCA, National Basketball Training, Schools, Boot Camps, Filipino Society, Local Schools, After School Programs, Midnight Basketball plus other ad hoc groups. The Association competes in the NSW State League with the Yowies and achieved great success at this level despite the limitations of our facility.  Queanbeyan Basketball is a strong supporter of the recently commenced program Midnight Basketball. This program is an initiative aimed at disadvantaged and at risk kids as well as provide an outlet on a Saturday night to reduce the crime rate in town. We have run 4 tournaments to date.

History of the current stadium

The Association had been looking for a facility for several years going back to the early 90’s. No suitable land or building could be sourced by council or ourselves. A 4 court stadium was to be built in Jerrabomberra (near the current primary school) until our parent body’s facility program got into financial difficulty. This would have been a joint venture with QCC, along with state and federal funding. After that there was the option of an indoor facility, football fields and showground on Hoover Road with the sale of land at the showground. This again did not eventuate due to the status of the showground land. Then the YMCA was in financial difficulty and it was suggested that the YMCA become a strata plan and the stadium be sold for funds for the YMCA. QCC at the time were not prepared to purchase the facility, so we had no other option then to source funding and purchase ourselves via a bank loan and some funding. That was 1997 in what was seen as an interim measure. The Basketball Association then leased the land next to the stadium back to QCC in return for waiving of interest on a loan to undertake repair work to the stadium prior to taking occupancy.   The Stadium houses 2 three quarter courts that run crosswise to one full length court.