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Omaha has lost its basketball hoops permanently after residents living next to four separate reserves refused to have them sited near their homes.
Two professional stands and hoops were originally installed at the tennis courts, off Tuna Place, in south Omaha. However, their popularity led to their undoing, when near neighbours protested about the noise and the fact that they hadn’t been consulted prior to their installation.
They told Rodney Local Board in August last year that the appearance of the hoops had led to an unacceptable increase in noise, inappropriate behaviour and bad language, and suggested they should be moved to other courts in south Omaha.
The hoops were removed while alternative sites were sought, but this week Omaha Bay Residents Society (OBRS) chair Graham Painter said the search had ended in failure and the hoops and posts were sold and removed.
“We’ve been through quite a process,” he said. “The problem was that the original hoops had not undergone a proper consultation process with immediate neighbours.
“We committed to do that, but could not get support from neighbours on either of the other two tennis court locations (the Pukemateko Reserve at 179 Mangatawhiri Road and the Manuhiri Reserve at the end of Taumata Road).”
The OBRS then looked at the possibility of placing a single hoop at the William Fraser Reserve, next to the surf club, and took on the same consultants that designed the new Auckland Council toilet block planned for that site.
“We engaged them to make a concept plan, but again couldn’t get support from neighbours,” he said.
“All we can say is we have tried and carried out the appropriate process, but without success. They’ve been sold and removed as of this morning (December 22).”
