Zoe Moffatt
More than 100 kids were forced to abandon their basketball game at Eric Boardman Stadium on Saturday, December 1, after a leak caused wet patches on multiple courts.
A statement from Sunbury Basketball Association (SBA) said it faced unexpected challenges just before the scheduled junior domestic competition games.
SBA said it took swift action, conducting thorough inspections of all playing surfaces and public access areas.
“At least four wet areas rendered [court six] unusable for the entire day, resulting in the cancellation of seven games and leaving approximately 112 kids without the opportunity to play,” the statement said.
“Public access area between courts one and two [had] a large persistent wet patch where two spans of the roof join, [and] forced the SBA to cordon off the area from its members.”
Court five and two also had small wet spots near the score bench and centre of the circle, respectively. They were both managed by referees and remained dry from about 3.30pm onwards.
In the statement, SBA said it’s not uncommon to encounter leaks at Boardman Stadium following rain or persistent wet weather.
“These occurrences continue to disrupt competitions and practices, impacting not only on the SBA but also its members. Some issues have taken an extended period to address.
“Issues recently [experienced include] a section of internal ceiling coming down due to water damage, replacement of damaged floorboards and a broken basketball ring.”
SBA said it promptly notified Hume council of the leaks and related maintenance issues, and remains dedicated to working with council to ensure the seamless operation.
These reports follow SBA advocating for more courts after having to cut down training times and increase waitlists due to capacity constraints.
In a Facebook comment about the issue, one user said parents were cleaning up puddles on the floor and said the state of Sunbury’s facilities was appalling.
“I know basketball is a huge and growing sport in Sunbury and the current available courts aren’t sufficient for the existing members let alone future proof,” they said.
“I have travelled to many centres in Hume and [beyond] and while Boardman is nice to have, it needs money to bring it up to standard.
“Sunbury desperately needs another court facility of equal size to meet demand.”
A Hume council spokesperson said Eric Boardman Stadium has a huge roof area, and leaks can occur depending upon the severity of rain and wind direction.
“With the agreeable weather [last] week, council plumbers were able to review and begin repairs on the Boardman Stadium roof, with three leaks now mended and materials for the remaining areas ordered,” they said.
