NT Badminton appeals to property owners for interim accommodation

NT Badminton Association has issued a letter to Darwin and Palmerston real estate agents, builders and developers asking if they are aware of any warehouses that may be available and suitable for the sport to move into as a short term solution to their housing needs.

The sporting association has been passionately campaigning for a replacement venue since it received an eviction notice from the NT Government to vacate Sports House in Fannie Bay in May 2013.

Their tenancy has been extended to 31 March 2014, but beyond that the future is not looking good for the sport.

“Unfortunately the options to date have just not been suitable,” association member and player Dr Di Symonds said.

“We need a dedicated venue where our members can train regularly and uninterrupted. We outgrew school halls, where access is often interrupted, back in the late 1970s. To be told to go back to this is very frustrating and possibly marks the end of our sport in the NT.”

In light of their current tenancy uncertainty, NT Badminton Association seeks an interim accommodation solution with the following key elements:

·              a three year lease

·              located in Darwin, Winnellie, Berrimah or East Arm areas

 ·              warehouse with minimum floor area of 1,000 sqm
 ·              minimum ceiling height of 7 metres
 ·              internal or external male and female toilets
 ·              internal or external offices and storage room, minimum area 40 sqm
 ·              car parking

NT Badminton continues to discuss their accommodation needs with the Northern Territory Government and ideally would like to see a long term solution of a dedicated facility in Marrara similar to most other Territory sports.

“In the meantime, if someone has a spare shed we can use we would love to talk to you,” said Dr Symonds.

For more information visit www.saveoursport.org.au or follow NT Badminton on: www.facebook.com/SaveOurSportNT and twitter.com/SaveOurSportNT

Thousands of Territorians sign on to save badminton

The Northern Territory Badminton Association will tomorrow submit the single largest petition in NT Parliament history.

The petition, which calls on NT Government to “defer the eviction of badminton from the Sports House facility and agree to allocate funds for and facilitate construction of a new multi-purpose facility for badminton, table tennis and judo at Marrara during the 2014-2015 financial year as detailed in the NT Badminton Association New Venue Proposal September 2013”, has been signed by more than 12 300 Territorians in the past five weeks.

The petition will be presented to the Hon Gerry Wood MLA on the steps of Parliament House at 9:30am for submission to Parliament later that day.

And to make sure their plight is heard, a group of local badminton players have planned a “Badminton Flashmob” at the handover.

“People we meet are very surprised to hear that we’re being thrown out on to the street and that the NT Government is not proposing a replacement facility - they say that it’s very unfair,” NT Badminton volunteer Monica Beadman said.

“We have been absolutely overwhelmed with support from the people of Darwin, Palmerston and Rural Areas,” volunteer Helena Gibbons said.

“People have been incredibly sympathetic to our plight and we thank everyone for their fantastic support!”

The NTBA said it calls on the NT Government to listen to overwhelming community opinion and “give our sport a fair go and support our proposal for a replacement facility”.

 
For more information visit www.saveoursport.org.au or follow NT Badminton on www.facebook.com/SaveOurSportNT and twitter.com/SaveOurSportNT

NT Badminton asks the public to “Please help us save our sport!”

The NT Badminton Association is calling on the local community to help save its sport, after the Northern Territory Government released plans to rezone and sells its home of thirty years in for new inner-city housing.

240 players from the Darwin Badminton and smaller clubs, including talented Territory juniors, will be left without a place to play and practice when Sports House in Fannie Bay is rezoned and sold.

The NT Badminton Association says the clubs will be evicted on 20 November 2013 and has called on the Northern Territory Government for an extension of tenure until a suitable replacement venue is made available. 

Association member Dr Di Symonds says the clubs have identified an alternative site but is concerned for the future of Badminton in the Northern Territory as its eviction nears.

“The clock is ticking,” Dr Symonds said.

“We’ve met with Government Departments, looked at alternative venues and commissioned an architect and engineer to design and cost a new multi-purpose venue for ready land at Marrara that would be an asset to the whole community.”

The $6.8 million proposal caters for a 3,500 square metre sports facility on land adjacent to the gymnastics facility at Marrara with eight badminton courts, eight table tennis tables, two Olympic-sized judo mats and enable gymnastics to double its current floor space.

Dr Symonds said the facility will service up to 2,700 Territory sportspeople every week across the four sports and fully meet community demand.

Badminton has built a strong community following over its 40 year history in Darwin and provides a range of health and social benefits to Territorians ranging in age from eight to 80.

The sport is played seven days a week, 50 weeks of the year and is home to national and international champions – the latest of whom represented the Territory in Sydney earlier this month at the Under 15 National Badminton Championships.

“Should the Northern Territory Government continue its intention to evict badminton without an appropriate alternative site, then badminton will most likely die,” Dr Symonds said.

“Please help us save our sport.”

NT Badminton will hold a Badminton Flash Mob in the Smith Street Mall at 12.00pm tomorrow to raise community awareness to their plight.

The sporting association will also open its doors at Sports House to the public with a “Badmintathon” over the next 20 days and invites people to come and try the sport, meet the players, view a display of the proposed new sporting venue and sign their petition urging the Northern Territory Government to support their proposal for a replacement facility.

More information and Open House times visit www.saveoursport.org,au or follow Save Our Sport on Facebook and SaveOurSportNT on Twitter.