On Monday night, the Chestertown Town Council approved a Recreation Commission concept for a youth-oriented single-hoop basketball at Ajax Park on Cross St. in Chestertown.
The concept, shown here, was sent to councilmembers on Tuesday by Recreation Commission Director Jim Bogden and reflects the discussed modifications to the single-hoop layouts that were currently considered.
The single-hoop design will have a court area of 30’ x 50’ on an asphalt pad of 31’ x 68’ which includes an area for benches, bike stands, and connect to a 6’-wide paved path connecting the park to Gilchrest Rail Trail. The single hoop will face the Rail Trail rather than its current position in front of the children’s play area.
Since April several layout designs have been proposed by the Recreation Committee along with an additional layout proposed by town resident Carla Johnson.
Frank Rhodes, a longtime supporter of Ajax Park’s history in the Chestertown community, submitted two and three-hoop designs with the hope of promoting an active downtown basketball court.
However, the single hoop three-point layout prevailed and appears to be a positive compromise between the competing designs.
“We decided in September that any proposal would be focused on young people, and have basketball,” Mayor David Foster said.
Working toward that end, the Council excluded the proposals by the Recreation Commission that included two and three-hoop designs and larger footprints that would cater to older teen basketball games.
“I think it’s a positive outcome particularly when one recognizes that Chestertown currently has three relatively new basketball courts (Carpenter Park, Gateway Park, and the Chestertown Middle School) plus one now under construction at the new YMCA; we feel that this modest sized youth-oriented court adjacent to the Rail to Trail represents an appropriate balancing of interests for our community,” Foster says.
The addition of play areas will enhance the “youth oriented” theme the Council would like to promote.
The approval was made for the basic concept only, not the funding.
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