DELAY IN FORMATION OF BASKETBALL COURTS AT NEW SPORTS GROUNDS

Taupo Times, Volume IV, Issue 178, 24 June 1955, Page 1

DELAY IN FORMATION OF BASKETBALL COURTS AT NEW SPORTS GROUNDS

The construction of basketball courts at the northern end of the Sports Ground was brought up at the Borough Council meeting on Wednesday, June 15, when Cr C. S. Currie enquired as to the position. - Cr Currie said that at the Council meeting on April 20 a resolution had been passed by the Council that a temporary area for two basketball courts be prepared by the Council, this being in response to a letter received by the Council from the Basketball Association. He felt that th'e matter was urgent. The courts were to be on a pumice surface and he had been informed that the necessary work could be done in a couple of days. He felt that in not doing the job they were not keeping faith with the basketball people, who had helped in raisjng a large sum of money for the Sports Ground. Could the work not be done at once? The Mayor, Mr J. E. Story, replying, said that they would see what could be done in the next week or so. The letter from the Basketball Association to the Council, referred to above, was dated April 6, and asked whether the area for courts could be made available for the Association for the present playing season. The letter proceeded : "Apart from school children the Association expects to have 10 teams playing this year, four of which will probably come from Taupo itself. The only suitable court available . . . is on the Taupo District Higli School grounds. The Couhcil will appreciate tliat tliis is quite inadequate for our ordinary needs and hopelessly inadequate for our' tournaments, which for reasons of transport, etc., are most conveniently centred in Taupo. 4 'Taupo is also the centre of the Taupo Primary School Sports Association basketball tournaments when over 200 children from the various schools assemble to play basketball. "You will appreciate that one good court is quite hopeless to give the children the plav thev should havp.

My Association is very anxious to hold the interest of the young people who want to play basketball and to build up its present organisation. It would therefore appreciate any assistJnce the Council can give." The resolution passed on April 10 followed discussion in which it was agreed that a temporary pumice surfaced area for twTo courts could be prepared, and was moved by Cr Currie, seconded by Ct J. E. Barton. It was, "That the Council prepare . a temporary area for two courts on a site in the Sports Ground."