‘A FIELD OF DREAMS MOMENT’
NYCHA, NYPD announce plans to renovate 15 basketball courts across New York City
BY JULIA MORO
The New York City Housing
Authority (NYCHA) and
the NYPD announced upgrades
to 15 basketball courts
at the NYCHA campuses in
Queensbridge Houses and
across the city last week.
The NYPD and federal law
enforcement partners provided
$4 million to use toward
the upgrades. The NYPD’s
Kids First initiative joined
NYCHA’s Connected Communities
program to invest in activities
for young people and
community spaces.
The Queensbridge North
and South NYCHA campuses
house more than 6,230 residents
and more than 1,400
children and young adults
ages 10 to 24.
NYCHA Chairman and
CEO Greg Russ said he is
committed to activating open
spaces to help foster connections
between residents.
“The challenges of the COVID
19 pandemic made that focus
even more essential,” Russ
said. “The investments in
these basketball courts made
possible through the support
of the NYPD and our federal
law enforcement partners
will allow us to provide our
young people with additional
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opportunities for outside play
and athletic programming
as we move forward into the
recovery.”
Throughout the renovation
process, NYCHA connected
with 600 residents and
community members earlier
this year to survey their design
ideas for the basketball
courts.
The courts were resurfaced
with new asphalt, customized
paint coatings and a
unique logo designed by resident
input. New backboards,
rims, nets and benches were
also put in.
NYCHA and the NYPD
worked together to identify
NYCHA campuses that would
be ideal renovation sites.
Additionally, the Mayor’s
Office of Criminal Justice
(MOCJ) will provide sports
programming for these sites.
NYPD Commissioner Dermot
Shea said transforming
public spaces for New York
City kids has never been
more important than at this
moment in time.
“This is truly a ‘Field of
Dreams’ moment. We know
that if we built it – invest the
time and resources – they will
come,” Shea said. “And I want
to thank all of our partners for
engaging in this collaborative
effort to continue creating opportunities
for our kids to
reach their full potential.”
NYCHA provides affordable
housing to 380,299
residents in over 177,611
apartments in 355 housing
developments.
Kids playing at a NYCHA basketball court. Courtesy of NYCHA
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