Eaton nets basketball action

Basketball South West will now be training and playing at the Eaton Recreation Centre, following a decision made at the Dardanup Shire Council meeting last week. In March, BSW approached the council to establish the previous agreement for the hire and use of the recreation centre. However, the item was deferred due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the uncertainty as to whether there would be a 2020 basketball season. On Wednesday evening, councillors voted in favour of the officer’s recommendation which was to endorse the establishment of the hire agreement between the ERC and BSW. Agreements for the hire and use of the ERC have been in place previously up to and including 2013. As part of the officer’s recommendation, four gym memberships and use of courts will be made available to all players at no charge which is a reduced revenue of $1400 per year. A reduced fee charge out rate of $40 per hour for court and centre hire was also voted in favour. Dardanup shire president Mick Bennett welcomed the decision and said it would have positive social and economic benefits. “It is fantastic to see the recreation centre, the shire and BSW working together to achieve some outcomes for both sides with this hire agreement,” Cr Bennett said. “The Slammers have played at the centre for as long as I can remember and it’s great that the young people will play there, hopefully we can see the sport continue to grow. After the COVID-19 pandemic everything should go back to normal and hopefully the Slammers will get to have a full season next year.” The chief executive officer will renew the agreement annually prior to cessation on October 31 by mutual agreement and under the same conditions defined. The SW Slammers have always considered the ERC as their “home” and have been training and playing at the ERC since 2005. On an annual basis the ERC hosts about 13 SBL men’s, women’s and junior games at the ERC depending on SBL fixtures plus weekly training and development sessions.