“It’s a densely populated area for teens, but there are limited activities for them, but there are limited activities for them,” he said, later adding, “Hamilton is hurting for teen activities in that area, and I think basketball courts is a good start for that.”
Following the council meeting, Hamilton Parks Conservancy Director Adam Cornette connected with then-Hamilton planning director Liz Hayden and coordinated to meet with some students. The list that came from that meeting, he said, “was very insightful.”
“I think people sometimes go into meetings with an assumption of getting huge asks, and it wasn’t,” Cornette said.
The asks by the students were realistic and doable projects, like places to hang out after school to work on schoolwork or projects, Wi-Fi accessibility, and more recreational opportunities like and basketball courts, which Cornette said were all achievable.
Credit: Nick Graham
Credit: Nick Graham
Since the parks system hadn’t budgeted for any new basketball courts, or other amenities, Cornette and his staff reached out to the Hamilton Community Foundation, a parks supporter since the Parks Conservancy started in 2015. He said it “worked out perfectly” as they could begin addressing recreation needs by renovating the basketball court at L.J. Smith Park and install a new court at Jim Grimm Park, which is next to a leg of the Beltline Recreational Trail.
Hamilton Community Foundation President and CEO John Guidugli called the work of the Parks Conservancy “important work,” which is why they’ve provided several grants to support the agency.
“One of the key focus areas of the Foundation in recent years has been to enhance the quality of life throughout our community, work which is at the very core of the Conservancy’s mission,” he said. “From our unrestricted grant this year to improve basketball courts in our parks to facilitating the transformational gift which created Marcum Park, these investments reflect our shared commitment to making our parks a beautiful and enduring cornerstone of our community.”
Besides a new basketball court, the parks district will install two new shelters at Jim Grimm Park, but the agency is working to coordinate with the contractor on a time to erect the new structures.
Those aren’t the only new shelters being installed at parks. Benninghofen Park in Lindenwald has been what Cornette called “a dead zone” for shelters, so there will be two new structures at the 2.5-acre Noyes Avenue facility.
Heading into 2025, the Hamilton Parks Conservancy District will lean in on giving many of its park properties a facelift, as it did recently with John R. Moser Park on Heaton Street.
“We’re going to have a pretty significant park enhancement list as far as capital improvements, hopefully hitting more than 20 parks and doing some facelifts and beautification of the landscaping,” he said of the more than three dozen park properties, which includes two golf courses. “We’re definitely not slowing down.”
Credit: Nick Graham
Credit: Nick Graham
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