A MANDURAH mother has lashed out at City of Mandurah, claiming the slippery surface at the Thomson Street netball courts resulted in two players ending up in the Peel Health Campus emergency department on Saturday.
City of Mandurah organised for a contractor to resurface the courts before the winter season.
A soap was applied to the surface to strengthen the finish and make the court surface last longer.
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READ NOWMandurah Netball Association president Joanne Fitzpatrick said parents had complained about the dangerous, soapy surface when wet.
Kylie Bazzo said the City of Mandurah should be “absolutely ashamed of the pathetic response that has been given for the conditions” of the courts.
“We encourage our children to be healthy and participate in sporting activities and pay fees for them to do this,” she said.
On Saturday she said she watched “girl after girl go down on the very unsafe courts”.
“The first time slot of 8am saw two girls in wheelchairs taken to Peel Health Campus with serious injuries, due to the diabolical standard of the netball courts,” she said.
“Tyla Kennedy’s knee cap is sitting two inches above her knee and the poor girl is in absolute agony.”
Mrs Bazzo claimed City of Mandurah had received hundreds of complaints, but nothing had been done to protect the children.
“We all pay rates and fees and it simply isn’t good enough,” she said.
Mrs Fitzpatrick said the courts would not be so slippery after about four or five rainy periods.
“Over the next few weeks, until the courts are no longer producing the soapy film, games will be stopped during rain and until the courts are dry and the surface is safe to play on,” she said.
Ms Fitzpatrick said she did not see how the City could help and some parents had volunteered to squeegee the courts.
“It is getting better,” she said.
“We don’t want the courts to get damaged and void the warrantee.”
City of Mandurah chief executive Mark Newman said he was aware the recently re-surfaced netball courts at Thomson Street had developed a slippery surface following recent rain.
“This is being investigated and in the meantime the City will monitor this issue in conjunction with Mandurah Netball Association,” he said.