CLAREMONT — The court in Grant Park is not well-suited for basketball.
It has two backboards, but no rims or hoops. The ground is cracked, strewn with trash and pockmarked with weeds. In the center of it all is a large sinkhole.
But city parks officials told locals there isn't any money to fix it, according to John Howard-Algarin of Bronx Community Board 4.
“There aren’t really any funds to alleviate the issue,” Howard-Algarin told those assembled at a Thursday evening meeting of CB4's parks committee. He added that the sinkhole is “effectively closing down the park.”
A spokesman for the Parks Department said the agency is aware of the sinkhole and confirmed that they closed the area several months ago. The department plans to repair the hole but does not have an estimate on when the repairs will start, and it is still determining how much they will cost, the spokesman said.
The space is the only basketball court at Grant Park, but the Parks Department spokesman pointed out there are courts nearby at Claremont Park and Mott Playground.
Parkgoers said it's a shame to leave the Grant Park court in such disrepair.
"There's no rim on it at all, so it's not usable," a park visitor said.
Another parkgoer also said he was frustrated he could not use the court.
"People like to play basketball," he said. "So if it was fixed, many people would come here."
CB4 District Manager Jose Rodriguez said he was disappointed there was no plan in place for restoring the court.
“It’s closed now,” he said. “It’s an unfortunate thing.”
