– We have never had a basketball team either in Bangsund or in Namdalen. So it is out of the question for us to get a hall with only space for a basketball court, says leader of the parents’ committee at Bangsund school, Tor Erik Bjerkestrand. Since the 1980s, the nearly 1,000 residents have wanted a sports hall with a handball court. Handball and football are the most important sports in the village, and the sports team was finally looking forward to the hall being built. – Yes, we have waited a long time for a sports hall. But then we discovered that the municipality did not want to build a handball court. But a court adapts to basketball, says leader of the sports team, Lene Bjørlykke Olufsen to news. Tor Erik Bjerkestrand and Lene Bjørlykke Olufsen do not want a basketball hall in Bangsund. Photo: Espen Sandmo / news Seven miles to the nearest basketball team The nearest basketball club is in Steinkjer, 70 kilometers away. – Then they would rather not build a hall, and rather refurbish the gymnasium at the school. It is already possible to play basketball and mini handball there, says Bjerkestrand. Namsos municipality believes they have enough sports halls with handball courts in the municipality. For that reason, they will not spend more than NOK 70 million on this type of hall. A hall with a basketball court will be over NOK 20 million cheaper, according to the municipality’s calculations. Can’t think of talking about a basketball court – That can’t be right. The difference in track size is not that great, believes Bjerkestrand. For the record, a standard handball court measures 20×40 metres, while a basketball court has an activity surface of 20×32 metres. A difference of 160 square metres. – For a year and a half we have been working on the plan for a sports hall in Bangsund together with the municipality, council and associations. But I can’t think that we have ever talked about a hall with only space for a basketball court, says Lene Bjørlykke Olufsen in the sports team. Municipal director Jostein Grimstad believes it will be much cheaper to build a hall for basketball than a handball hall. Photo: Ole Morten Melgård / Namsos municipality – Lower costs But municipal director Jostein Grimstad defends the proposal for a basketball hall. He says it will be cheaper than a handball hall and more flexible in use than today’s gymnasium. The Namsos politicians will finally decide on the matter next Thursday. Both in various councils, committees and chairmanships, the politicians have favored basketball-sized sports halls because of the differences in costs. – We believe that the numerical basis and calculations are completely wrong. Therefore, we live in the hope that the politicians will turn around and give us a hall where both young and old can play handball and football, concludes Tor Erik Bjerkestrand.
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The municipality wants to build a basketball hall in Bangsund in Namsos – the village wants a handball hall – news Trøndelag
