THE Golden Paradise Beach Residents and Ratepayers Association has recently installed seating at the community 3×3 basketball court in Golden Beach, allowing up to 20 spectators to watch games being played.
The funds to install this seating were raised by the association through community raffles and a ‘Community Assistance Grant’ of $5000 from Wellington Shire Council.
The president of the association, Ken Dyster, said the seats and the court would benefit small communities such as Golden Beach well into the future.
“The association’s long-term plan is to develop and encourage active competition use of the Golden Beach 3X3 basketball court as we believe it fits with small communities, given it only takes four persons to make up a team and eight persons to have a competitive shootout,” Mr Dyster said.
This is a community-driven project that began in 2018 when the community conducted fundraising via donations at the local store and a ‘Go fund me page’. They then engaged the association for help to raise more funds and further promote the cause.
The association reached out to the council for support and negotiated a co-funding model that resulted in the basketball court being built in 2019. Unfortunately, due to COVID-19, the final works and landscaping were never completed. The association has only now been able to finalise the original project by installing the seating and landscaping the area.
The basketball court is the only facility in Golden Beach that is suitable for young people (12 to 18-year old), and due to limited transport options, travel to similar facilities in other communities is problematic.
The facilities are used by local community members as well as a large number of visiting youths during weekends and holidays when families come to their holiday homes at Golden Beach and Paradise Beach. Finalising this project with seating is designed to create a central point for young people and families to socialise, engage with each other and be active.
