Basketball in Cairns is set to leap to new heights thanks to today’s opening of a bigger and better basketball centre.
Federal Leichhardt MP Warren Entsch said the upgraded facility will be a breeding ground for future Cairns Taipans and would attract new players to the sport including local indigenous youth and disability groups.
He said the Federal Government fully-funded the $1.5 million project via its Community Development Grants program.
“Not only will this upgrade get more people out on the court, it will also help reinstate vital community programs, such as the successful Midnight Basketball program for at-risk youth,” Mr Entsch said.
“Through basketball, the project can promote life skills including teamwork and other social skills within communities in a non-contact environment.
“Basketball also promotes teamwork, friendly competition and other life skills, which makes this upgrade an important investment for the Cairns community.”
Mr Entsch said investing in local sporting infrastructure was a priority for the federal government.
“A new sports science building, thanks to funding from CQUniversity, has been built as part of this upgrade to educate local youth about the wide range of career opportunities within the sports industry,” he said.
“This great project is supporting health, social cohesion and education in the Cairns community, and has also provided a welcome boost to the local economy by supporting five jobs during construction and a further four ongoing roles.”
