Councillor says Forest Glade basketball nets 'embarrassing'

The basketball nets are rusted and falling apart, and that best describes the good ones. Several of the hoops at Forest Glade Community Centre don't have backboards and the mesh that still exists is tattered, torn and frayed.

These are not acceptable conditions for a city park, explained Coun. Irek Kusmierczyk.

"It really is embarrassing that this basketball court was allowed to get to this point," he said. "It's unacceptable for the residents of Forest Glade because this is the heart of the Forest Glade community."

Standing in the same location where politicians from the region launched a Healthy Kids Community Challenge just last year, Kusmierczyk demonstrated the poor condition of the basketball courts.

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The community challenge is a provincially funded program aimed to reduce obesity levels in children. But Kusmierczyksuggests the city invest in its own infrastructureto get kids more active.

The Ward 7 representative alerted city staff about his concerns and spoke to his fellow politicians. He is confident he has support from Mayor Drew Dilkens.

"As a city, I think the onus is on us to show leadership and take care of our problems and maintain our infrastructure," Kusmierczyk said. "We really need to show some leadership here."

He also questions council's investment in a sports tourism officer, considering the condition of facilities in neighbourhoods like Forest Glade.

"Before we start investing in this sports tourism and before we invest in high-profile sporting competitions for the city, we really need to take care of our neighbourhood amenities," he said. "We really need to invest in our neighbourhoods first."