Basketball hire fees unfair
With annual rental fees topping $170,000, the Warragul and District Basketball Association is desperate for a new indoor facility.
Association president Danny Murnane said the costs being imposed onto players and families were unfair compared to other sports and the best answer was a new stadium.
Monthly court hire fees for Warragul Leisure Centre and Bellbird Park are averaging about $10,000 a month. On top of this, the association pays $30,000 a year hire fees at Bunyip stadium, and $20,000 to St Paul’s Anglican Grammar School for training and match hire.
“If you compare it to a football or netball club which pays the shire $5000 a year, it is a lot of money,” Mr Murnane said.
The best option to resolve the increasing costs issue would be a new purpose-built stadium, or extension to the leisure centre, that would cater for all matches in one facility and reduce hire and operational costs.
But, a recent feasibility study undertaken by Baw Baw Shire indicated a new four court indoor sports stadium could cost up to $25 million.
The study also showed expansion of Warragul Leisure Centre and Bellbird Park, with two additional courts each, could cost $10 million and $7 million respectively.
While council is using the feasibility study to seek external funding, Mr Murnane said the association would lobby government for a funding commitment.
With 2000 members, Mr Murnane said the association was forced to hire additional facilities to play weekly matches.
“We rely heavily on schools but if they need the courts, we can’t have access. We need to put pressure on council and the government for a new stadium.
Mr Murnane said the annual hire fees to council were $116,000 per year for 77.8 hours per week, for 40 weeks of the year. The contract allows for a three per cent increase each year, which he said would see fees reach almost $120,000 for this financial year.
The costs imposed to players is about $200 per season for juniors and $230 for adults. There are two seasons per year.
“This needs to reduce for a leaking two court facility at WLC and at Bellbird Park where we have limited access,” he said.
“If we had one venue with a minimum four courts, preferably six, with room to expand to eight in five to 10 years like Pakenham, we can reduce costs for court supervisors.
“We could have a canteen and merchandise shop which would also raise potential for revenue and in turn reduce participation costs,” he said.
Mr Murnane said he took over association presidency 18 months ago and this was his pet project. He said the last financial year was a $6000 loss and they needed to target the significant costs of running each season.
“We try to keep everything as cheap as possible but with the huge expenses if we don’t set fees right, we could be out of business in a few months.
“We need to have one facility. Our numbers are ‘maxxed’ out and we have parents driving all over the place,” he said.
Association representatives met with Member for Narracan Gary Blackwood on Friday.
Mr Blackwood agreed the rental fees were “considerably high.”
He said there was a desperate need for new facilities in Warragul. He said he would discuss the matter with the shire because if council made the project a priority, he could lobby at state level for external funding.
Shire community assets director Cohen Van der Velde said the current occupancy agreement was set in 2013 in partnership with council and the association.
He said council and the association were currently reviewing the agreement.
“Council officers are planning to present a report to council in the near future, pending receipt of further information from the association,” he said.
Mr Van der Velde said officers also were investigating funding options that may be available for a new indoor stadium but council would require substantial investments for the project to proceed.