Group sheds light on goal

This is how Ronan Freeburn, festival director of Ballin' in the Park " Perth's largest three-on-three basketball tournament " describes the friendly social basketball community that has grown up around the Burswood foreshore courts in recent years, and he is not on his own.

Between 20 and 50 people of all abilities, nationalities, genders and ages gather at the courts each weekday afternoon, including 41-year-old Carl Coady of Victoria Park.

But as winter descends and play time is cut short by early sunsets, the group has started to lobby the Town of Victoria Park for lighting to keep the tradition alive all year round.

"Even if we could play until 7pm in the winter, that would give us all a couple of hours to let off some steam. You've got to have that outlet. I have a pretty serious job and it's good to go down there and enjoy some social basketball," Mr Coady said.

"In winter it gets dark by 5.30pm, which means there's not much time after work and school to get a game in."

Mr Freeburn said lights would enable the popular event to host games during the cooler summer evenings.

"The general push for lights comes from a day-to-day need from members of community to utilise these courts for a longer period of time," Mr Freeburn said.

Victoria Park Renew Life acting director Warren Bow said while the council acknowledged the courts' popularity, lighting had not been considered for future budgets.

"If the project was to be considered by the council in the future then there would need to be further assessment of the implications in both a social and financial sense. At present, there is an insufficient power supply to the site and an upgrade to that supply would be required by Western Power. An estimate of cost for this upgrade is unknown," he said.

"While the courts and land at McCallum Park are under the care and control of the Town of Victoria Park, if the Town was to undertake the installation it would consult the Water Corporation."