Castlegar City Council has decided to set aside a portion of Millennium Park for an outdoor basketball court.
In May, a delegation of youth from the Castlegar Rotary Interact Club and their adult supporters approached council asking for the space to build a new outdoor court. The group is supported by The Classic Foundation, Castlegar Rotary, Sunrise Rotary and Stanley Humphries Secondary School.
Local Rotary groups have committed to help fund the project. In addition, the group has identified several potential grant opportunities with the intentions of covering the entire cost of the project without funds from the city.
Approximate costs are estimated at $174,000 based on a court recently built by the Nelson Hoops Association.
Other potential locations such as Cone Hill Park, Stanley Humphries High School and Kinnaird Park were considered, but the space between Millennium Park's beach volleyball and tennis courts was chosen as the best option.
Next steps include continued collaboration with the group to establish project requirements, ensure alignment with city standards and industry best practices and establish preliminary cost estimates.
If the project proves to be feasible, council will be asked for an approval-in-principle to proceed with final planning and design.
Final steps will include a formal agreement outlining technical requirements, roles/responsibilities, long-term asset management and financial contributions.
