Tuscora Park Foundation Centering 2021 Basketball Court Projects

By Mitch Spinell

NEW PHILADELPHIA, Ohio - The Tuscora Park Foundation recently announced its acquiring of initial funding pledges and is actively seeking grant assistance to provide for the reconstruction of three basketball court playing surfaces in New Philadelphia.

The non-profit Foundation is looking to reconstruct the two courts located at Tuscora Park, and a third court located on property recently acquired by the city, near the intersection of S. Broadway, 2nd St. SE and Colonial Ave. SE.

“Two of the needs identified for improvement and enhancement in our city’s park facilities were resurfacing of the tennis courts and basketball courts,” said Michael Ernest, president of the Tuscora Park Foundation Board of Trustees. “The city of New Philadelphia announced in 2016 that it would approach these projects in two phases, with resurfacing of six tennis courts being in the first phase and the basketball courts to follow in the second phase.”

According to the Foundation, the total estimated cost of the basketball courts project is $83,000, with the city pledging $15,000 and the New Philadelphia High School boys’ basketball program pledging $1,000 toward the cost.

Ernest says the Foundation is hopeful to raise the balance of the costs through grant awards, and that construction could begin as early as this year if all funding is secured in 2021.