IPSWICH Basketball Association is one of 15 sporting and community groups who will share in more than $100,000 of financial support in the latest round of Ipswich City Council’s community projects and events funding programs.
PCYC Ipswich Boxing After Dark program, Cricket Ipswich, Westminster Warriors Soccer Club, Ipswich Croquet Club, Providence Athletics and Rosewood Hack and Pony Club are also among the groups to receive funds for things ranging from soccer goals, solar panels, kitchen upgrades, a storage shed and more to improve their facilities and services.
Ipswich Basketball Association will buy a new floor cleaner with its grant of more than $11,000 to ensure the quality and safety of the floor surface used by its 1800 members over seven days a week.
“It’s crucial for the sport to make sure it’s safe for our players to use the courts every day of the week so it’s very important for us to receive this grant from council to be able to purchase this equipment. It’s quite costly for a small association,” president Toni Caldwell said.
The funding boost comes at a time when community and sporting organisations, like many businesses, are dealing with continuing equipment and supply cost increases.
“Times are tough so our community and sporting organisations need all the help they can,” Mayor Teresa Harding said.
“Funding provided by council means less costs that need to be passed onto the players or participants of these organisations.
For Ipswich Basketball Association the grant couldn’t have come at a better time as they gear up for the start of the club season on 29 January with high hopes to build on the successes of last year which saw the men win the NBL1 North championships for the first time in the association’s 60-year history, the Under 14s get to the state championships undefeated and win the Ipswich Sports Team of the Year award, and the Under 12 girls win silver in the state championships in front of their home crowd.
Organisations and individuals providing services or activities that benefit the community can find out if they are eligible to apply for grants through council’s funding and support programs on its website.
