When Jeremy Phelan was growing up playing school-yard basketball with his friends in Nelson, they’d daydream about a court at Lakeside Park.
Now Phelan, the president of Nelson Hoops Association, wants to make that dream a reality.
Phelan has pitched Nelson city council on a new, regulation-size court to be installed next to the tennis courts at Lakeside.
“It’s a beautiful spot, it’s kind of the gym of our town, it’s a social hub,” said Phelan.
“I think having basketball courts down here for everybody to access, it’s great for the community, it’s great for kids, it’s great for the park, and I just want to see it happen.”
The association’s plan would remove the bocce lanes, which are currently fenced off and in need of repairs, and put up a court with 10-foot tall baskets at either end, as well as extras along the sides.
Additional fencing and lighting would also be added, and two new bocce lanes would be built on the north side of the court. Phelan said he’s also asked for the support of the Nelson Italian-Canadian Society, which are stewards of the bocce lanes.
Nelson Hoops, meanwhile, would also take care of the court’s maintenance.
Phelan said the total cost of the project is $173,000, but he also expects that price tag to drop with in-kind donations.
City council heard Phelan’s pitch at a July 27 committee of the whole meeting, during which council makes no decisions on presentations.
There are currently no regulation-size outdoor courts in Nelson. The ones that exist either have short baskets, are on uneven ground or exist, as the current hoops at Lakeside do, on tennis courts.
Phelan said that didn’t stop him from playing as a kid, but a proper court might encourage more skill development. Nelson Hoops, which runs youth and adult leagues, has an active membership of over 200 players, so Phelan says the user base is already there.
“I think our player development comes outside of practice time,” said Phelan. “And so if there’s publicly available amenities, the kids can be out there spending the time that they really need to put into develop skills.”
Click here to see Phelan’s presentation to city council.
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The new basketball court, if approved, would be built in place of the bocce courts at the park. New bocce courts would be rebuilt nearby. Photo: Tyler Harper
