Queanbeyan Basketball stalwart Jan Browne is testing her talents in a new arena - local politics.
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The first-time candidate is standing in the Queanbeyan-Palerang election on the Group F ticket supporting Kenrick Winchester.
The long-time resident is a keen listener and gets plenty of time at the courts hearing about the goals and gripes of local families and teens.
“We have been trying for many years to get a new indoor facility with a sprung floor,” she said.
“We keep getting promised by council, try this site or that site, and a lot of the sites have been retention basins or not suitable. We seem to be hitting our head against a brick wall.”
If elected she would champion the creation of an indoor facility with four full size courts situated near schools and populated suburban areas.
In 2014 and 2015 Ms Brown was instrumental in the Midnight Basketball initiative which drew on volunteer support to get kids off the street and involved in sport.
Each Saturday night up to 60 young people enjoyed a meal, game time and life skills workshops, from drug awareness to first aid, before getting ride home by bus before midnight.
The withdrawal of council support years ago ended that program and Ms Brown is passionate about reinstating something similar.
In line with the Group F platform Ms Brown is opposed to the cemetery proposal, supports upgrading Seiffert Oval and wants Queanbeyan to have a cinema.
She has concerns about the “antiquated sewage plant” and planning for upgrades to this and other civil engineering priorities such as the water system in Bungendore as populations grow.
