North Shore Times (New Zealand)
Four-year long battle for hoop in Milford park
After lobbying Auckland Council for four years, a North Shore mum hopes her son will finally be shooting hoops in the local park by the end of the year.
Basketball plays a big part in 15-year-old Adam Singer’s life. He represents North Harbour and Westlake Boys High School, but struggles to find anywhere close to his Castor Bay home for a game of pick-up.
Ashia Ismail-Singer said the facilities at local reserves cater well to young children but not to likes of her teenage son and his friends.
Since February 2014, IsmailSinger has had ‘‘countless meetings and hundreds of emails’’ with Devonport-Takapuna Local Board and Auckland Council to find a way to incorporate a halfsize basketball court into either Byrnes Reserve or Milford Reserve.
‘‘It will be a fantastic addition to the reserve and a great way for our youth to spend time outdoors playing a sport that is fast becoming one of the more popular sports taken up in schools,’’ IsmailSinger said. ‘‘I know the court would not be under-utilised.’’
Following council’s consultation with residents, Milford Reserve was chosen.
Despite assurances from council the basketball court would be one of the first things to be started in the upgrade to the reserve, there is still no sign of it.
‘‘With red tape and waiting for consents, the playground has been started but we are still waiting for the 3x3 basketball court,’’ Ismail-Singer said.
The new basketball court will replace the eastern most existing beach volleyball court.
Resource consent was granted in February to build the basketball court in one of the two locations that were originally identified in the Milford Reserve Development Plan, Auckland Council’s head of project delivery John Schermbrucker said.
‘‘The final design has been developed, and the resource consent application material is nearing completion ready for lodgement, when and if the local board approves the concept design,’’ he said.
The goal is for construction to begin in late September/early October.
‘‘I have been happy with the great support from local board and Auckland Council; however, I feel the council’s consent process leaves a lot to be desired,’’ IsmailSinger said.