A new basketball court is being built in a Swinton park.
Old tennis courts in Victoria Park, on Swinton Hall Road, are being converted into a new, full-size basketball court thanks to investment from Salford City Council.
The outdoor sports facility will be open all year round and free for Salfordians to use. The council say its creation comes at a time when Basketball is rising in popularity across the globe and has become the second-most popular team sport among young people in England.
Base works are being laid in 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.
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.
The development of a basketball court in Swinton is part of the council’s commitment to investing in parks and giving young people more quality spaces to play and socialise as part of its Child Friendly Salford programme.
According to Research funded by the Hoopsfix Foundation and Basketball England in 2023, 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.
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