Saskatoon basketball star hopeful state-of-the-art court will be approved by council
Michael Linklater says $530,000 for court will be fundraised, as will operating costs for 10 years
A rising star in Canadian basketball hopes Saskatoon city council will give the green light to a proposed basketball court in Victoria Park.
Michael Linklater and others in the city's basketball community have been trying since 2019 to organize construction of a regulation-sized, paved basketball court for players in the city to use.
"Personally, this was a vision that I had since I was a child playing basketball," said Linklater, a player for the CEBL Saskatchewan Rattlers and former top-ranked Canadian player in for FIBA 3X3.
"I always wished that there was a central location that everybody knew about in Saskatoon where we could come together and join with one another in playing a game that a lot of people love."
The $530,000 court would sit between the exercise park and the Zhongshan Ting Chinese pagoda and would be paid for by fundraising.
Hoist The Hoops is asking that the city administer the court once it's completed and issue tax receipts to those giving money to the project.
"It will be really exciting to see that," said co-organizer Marcus Storey.
"Then we can really start the process which is really in our wheelhouses, which is the community engagement and the fundraising side."
The group, along with the Saskatoon Minor Basketball Association, would also raise enough money to operate the court for the first 10 years.
Linklater said a nice facility like this could create more local players.
"It is my hope that this will inspire the next generation of basketball players," he said.
"This court will be something that every citizen of Saskatoon can be proud of, whether they play basketball or not."
Organizers say it's difficult to know when the basketball court would be built, as the project is dependent on fundraising.
While a preliminary design has been drawn up, the city and the Meewasin Valley Authority would have to approve any final design.
The city has posted an engagement site for the project online. While many people were in favour of the project, some people were concerned about garbage and vandalism in the park, as well as potential tree removal.
A report on the basketball court will be heading to council's planning, development and community services meeting on Monday.