The first ball was bounced two weeks ago with the beginning of competition finals and feedback from players and officials has since been positive.

It comes after months of deliberation and disagreement between the Association and Veolia management regarding the venue’s fee structure.

However a restructure, brought in by Goulburn Event Management in June saw the Association reassess their position to utilise the facilities.

The decision was then made to move the social competition finals from the existing basketball stadium to the Arena at the beginning of the month.

“Once they got the price down we knew we had to use it,” GBA president Michael Weeks told the Post.

“We thought well, it’s meant for Goulburn people and we want all of Goulburn people using it.”

Weeks said the new rate of $40 per court per hour (brought down to $32 with a 20 per cent long term user discount) was much more reasonable than the previously $55 with electricity costs on top.

The rates are now due to be brought to council for final approval according to Multifunction Complex manager Mike Brady.

“By all indications everyone is happy with the current the fee structure and everyone is keen to get going,” Mr Brady said.

“I’m confident that this will be the case. Everyone is under the understanding that this will be the fee structure.”

Mr Brady was happy to have the GBA onside.

He hopes more sports and community groups will take advantage of the revised structure and will utilise the facilities.

Tim Hunter was one of the first to competitively play on the courts when the men’s senior basketball competition games were played at the Arena last week.

He was impressed by the facilities.

“It’s a very nice and open area and the lighting was nice and bright,” he told the Post.

“My only downside is that it seemed fairly limited for spectators. The people who were there to watch us seemed to be a long way back.”

Mr Hunter said he was prepared to pay an extra cost for use of the facilities but nothing significant.

Mr Weeks agreed the venue provided better ventilation.

He stressed utilising the new facilities wouldn’t mean the end of the existing Goulburn Basketball stadium.

He explains having both facilities available means Goulburn was now eligible for State based carnivals and tournaments which require a minimum of four courts.

But Mr Weeks was excited most at the possibilities presented to local representative teams.

“It gives us an opportunity for our reps teams to train more than once a week,” he said.

“All the city teams train two to three times a week. With our local comp playing at the stadium we can’t get the time to get the reps to train in there. But now we have the chance to train two or three times a week and we need to do that.

These days, the standard of NSW basketball is improving all the time and we need to keep up.”