Calgary's highest basketball courts unveiled at rooftop park

Calgary's newest basketball courts are the highest in the city, offering visitors a chance to shoot some hoops on a downtown rooftop.

The Beltline Neighbourhoods Association (BNA) unveiled three half-courts at High Park on Thursday. 

The public park, a collaboration between the BNA, Calgary Parking and Public City Architecture, sits on the 90,000-square-foot rooftop (level 6) of the City Centre Parkade located at 340 10 Avenue S.W.

Ward 8 Coun. Courtney Walcott says the new courts, which are open seven days a week from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m., will fill a recreational void that’s needed in the city.

"The downtown is changing, and as we're bringing more residents into the downtown core, places like this become even more important," he said.

"Basketball is the type of facility that we don’t exactly have in many open spaces. We have lots in recreation centres, but when it comes down to going to a park, it’s always been hard finding one."

The new venue is especially exciting for young basketball players like Nolan Krause.

"This is incredible because I can just come up here and play basketball whenever I want, with me and my friends, and it’s just really fun to play," he said.

"It just really means a lot to me."

The courts mark the third phase of High Park’s development, and come with a cost of $200,000, provided by the Government of Canada.

Calgary's High Park sits atop the City Centre Parkade, located at 340 10 Avenue S.W.

BNA president Peter Oliver says aside from the basketball courts, the latest phase also includes courtside bleachers with sports fencing, expanded AstroTurf and additional lounge seating around a rooftop fire pit.

"It’s really all part of contributing to the downtown strategy, about making our neighborhoods more vibrant downtown and about building character-rich spaces, giving people a place to go outside and get some fresh air and some exercise," Oliver said.Oliver adds that local artists were also able to decorate the courts with their own graffiti-style artwork to give the space a unique feel for players. 

The BNA will soon be organizing events at the new basketball courts and opening up the space for other groups and activities.

RECREATIONAL ACTIVITIES IN COMMUNITIES CAN LOWER CRIME RATES

Kelly Sundberg, criminologist with Mount Royal University, says that the construction of the new basketball courts is an example of how public spaces can be positively reclaimed.

He notes in his research, that additional opportunities for recreational activities within communities can have a significant impact on reducing crime and social disorder.

"It brings people together, it opens it up, it gives a place where young people and anyone who plays basketball or wants to watch basketball and members of that community can meet or socially interact," he said.

"It's so important, because we've been told to socially distance, stay at home or don't go out for years. It's time. We need to go out, say 'hello' to a stranger and talk about activities we share interests in."

Sundberg adds, however, that public spaces like this also need to be maintained, and that it’s on the police as well as community members to report illicit activities.

"There needs to be supervision of spaces. We can't achieve public safety and security without it. But do I think it needs to be the police? No, I don't. I think we also, as citizens, need to take stewardship and ownership for a community, and if we see something we need to say to people, 'Hey, it’s not acceptable here.'"