July 19th 2023.
The basketball court at Reese Park in Cleveland, Ohio was recently removed following reports of shots being fired in the area. This is a common occurrence, as city officials often cite public safety as the reason for such measures. However, the public usually feels differently and protests have erupted in multiple places.
For example, community activist Susannah Selnick believes there is an element of bias in the decision to only remove the basketball hoops. She said: “The sentiment of taking down the basketball hoops is saying that those that are playing on the hoops are not people we want playing at our parks.”
In an effort to ensure public safety, the basketball hoops at Madison Park in Cleveland were removed in 2021. Mayor Meghan F. George issued a statement following the closure of the court, expressing her obligation to ensure a safe environment for all park patrons.
However, in Bay Village, a pickleball court located next to the basketball court has remained open. This has caused some community members to question why only the basketball courts are being closed, particularly when there have been no reports of injury. Brad Thompson, who regularly uses the court, told Cleveland 19: “I was stunned. I actually drove through [Sunday] and saw police so I knew something happened. I came up here like ‘what is going on?’ This is my life!”
At the moment, there is no expected date for the park’s courts to reopen. This has caused a sense of uncertainty for those who rely on the court to play basketball. City leaders have made the decision to close the court, and the public is left feeling frustrated.
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