NEW STATE-OF-THE-ART basketball courts could be installed at Malvern’s Victoria Park after campaigners opted the venue as their number one choice to have them created.
Basketball enthusiasts and Malvern residents Jon May and Tom Bennett have begun talks with Malvern Town Council over their vision to develop a brand new basketball hub for the town.
As the Observer reported earlier this year, the pair have launched the ‘Malvern Hoops’ campaign because interest for the sport in the town is high but currently there is no single place where people can go to play the ‘thriving’ sport.
Currently there are basketball courts at Victoria Park, Malvern Cube, Dukes Meadow and Poolbrook but the campaigners say they are in poor condition, out-of-date, come into conflict with other sports such as football, and some have been the target of vandalism over many years.
And the pair, who are part of the Malvern Hills Buzzards Basketball team, say it is their dream to give the community a brand new outdoor facility which would be used by generations to come.
Sinch launching the campaign, both Tom and Jon have been considering different locations and now believe that Victoria Park is the right place to have the new courts.
Mr May said: “’Basketball is continually growing as a national sport and it is essential provisions are in place to help support and develop this.
“Having reviewed a number of possible locations, we believe Victoria Park would be the perfect site for the proposed development.”
Malvern Town Council clerk Linda Blake confirmed initial talks had taken place but was waiting on them to come up with a full proposal which could be discussed and voted on at a later date.
Tom and Jon’s campaign has gone around the country and received big praise from chiefs in the basketball world and those locally who have labelled the camapign ‘inspirational’.
The pair also got the chance to promote the campaign during halftime at the Eurobasket Qualifier 2017 match in London between Team GB and Hungary.
Mr Bennett added: “Beyond all expectations, the campaign has attracted national and international audiences with many saying that the Malvern Hoops Campaign could set a new precedent for the standard of outdoor facilities in the UK.”
For more information on the campaign visit the Malvern Hoops campaign website at www.malvernhoops.co.uk.
