New outdoor basketball court coming to Penn Meadows Park

NORTH LIBERTY — Penn Meadows Park in North Liberty is getting a new outdoor basketball court that will replace the aging playground equipment on the south side of the park.

Construction has already begun and the city is aiming for the court to be open by September.

North Liberty received a $19,000 Wellmark 3-Point Play grant to be used for projects that support community health and physical activity.

Parks Director Guy Goldsmith said the outdoor basketball court is something the department has been thinking about for a few years, but receiving the grant made it an immediate possibility.

The full cost of the project comes in around $60,000. In addition to the grant money, funds from the city’s hotel/motel and franchise fee will be used.

The plan includes a full size concrete court and with Mega Slam hoops. The hoops have glass backboards and are built to be durable to allow for dunking and hanging on the rim.

Benches will be placed around the court and a trail will be built that connects existing trails in the park.

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The outdoor court will replace playground equipment near Owen Skelley Baseball field.

The playground was planned to be taken down in 2011 when the additional playground on the north side of the park, near the splash pad, was completed.

Goldsmith said the plastic slide had cracked in a few places and the department added temporary fixes to resolve those issues.

“We’ve held onto it as long as we could, but it was time to let it go. It was becoming a safety issue because I could no longer get parts for it” Goldsmith said at a North Liberty City Council meeting.

Penn Meadows Park closes at 10 p.m. There are no plans to add lights to the court. However, Goldsmith said lighting could be something the department considers in the future.

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