Work begins on new basketball court in Swinton park

Base works are being laid to the sports area and surrounding footpaths and in the coming weeks the sports surface will be laid and soft landscaping completed. The court will be temporarily marked out with white sports lines, and the full blue and green court markings will be laid in Spring 2026, as they can’t be laid at this time of year.

Basketball is rising in popularity across the globe. Basketball in the UK has undergone significant transformations over the past few years, particularly at grass roots level, where it has become the second-most popular team sport among young people in England. 

Across the city there are three other dedicated basketball courts in Winton Park, Light Oaks Park and Buille Hill Park, with basketball hoops provided at other parks as part of multi-sport games areas.

Research funded by the Hoopsfix Foundation and Basketball England in 2023, found that 93.4% of participants expressed a strong preference for dedicated basketball facilities rather than multi-use areas. 87.4% said they would play more often if there were dedicated basketball spaces.

Councillor Jim Cammell, Lead Member for Children and Young People’s Services, and local ward councillor, said “Basketball has really taken off at Victoria Park, and this new court will give local players a proper home to enjoy the game. It’s fantastic to see the old tennis courts being brought back into use — turning an underused space into something the whole community can be proud of. We can’t wait to see the next generation of basketball talent develop right here.”

The basketball court is just one of a range of facilities in the park, alongside bowling greens, tennis courts, a multi-use sports court and a children's play area. Brand new outdoor gym equipment, including a cross trainer and bikes, is about to be installed, replacing older equipment that was taken out earlier this year, so the park really does provide something for everyone in the local area.