By CHRIS ANGUS
REDCITY Roar Basketball Association and Alexandra Hills State High School have formalised a landmark partnership that could deliver one of the largest indoor sporting facilities in the Redlands, with plans to build three new high-quality indoor courts on school grounds.
The project – developed in conjunction with the Department of Education Queensland – would transform the school’s existing one indoor court and three outdoor undercover courts.
Under the proposal, the current outdoor courts would be enclosed and upgraded to create three additional indoor courts, along with new changerooms, meeting rooms and storage facilities.
The expansion would make Alexandra Hills SHS home to a four-court indoor complex, the largest of its kind in the city.
RedCity General Manager Chris Angus said the partnership had the potential to be “a game changer” for the association.
“With the shortage of high-quality indoor basketball courts across not only Redland City, but across Queensland, we as an association can no longer achieve significant growth beyond what we currently have,” Mr Angus said.
“The demand is so high within our sport that most of our junior clubs have extensive waiting lists, and we cannot really introduce any additional competitions or programs to accommodate the demand for those within Redlands.
“Having three new high-quality courts that we could utilise for our competitions and programs, plus our clubs in that catchment could utilise and grow into, would be a much-welcomed step towards easing the pressure on court demand.
“We would fill the courts right now, let alone once the project is completed down the track.”
Mr Angus also acknowledged the support behind the proposal.
“We are grateful to Basketball Queensland for assisting us in this process through their facilities funding program to allow us to start communications with the school around this partnership and the dream of the additional courts on their site,” he said.
“I would also like to thank the team at Alexandra Hills State High School for being so open about the possibilities of working together towards the planning, advocacy and ultimate delivery of this project. This partnership is the first major milestone towards seeing these courts completed.”
The school is also set to benefit significantly from the expansion, which would deliver upgraded facilities for its Basketball Academy, improved changerooms for indoor sports and adjacent rugby fields, more space for whole-school assemblies and events, and additional meeting and staff rooms.
Increased revenue opportunities and the capacity to host interschool competitions are also expected.
The next step is to engage a specialist sporting facilities consultancy to undertake feasibility studies, cost modelling and initial design work – an exercise that will be jointly funded by the school and the association.
That process will form the basis of major advocacy efforts to secure government funding. Both parties hope the partnership will lead to a long-term shared-use agreement.
