Basketball Hoops' Fate to be Determined in 60 Days, County Says

Earlier this month a Patch reader inquired as to when the basketball hoops that were removed from Springfield parks in 2011 and 2012, leaving them at half court, would be returned.

"We now have a million dollar turf field but can't afford to let our kids have a competative (sic) game of hoops in the park?" Sara wrote on Aug. 6. "If there is a noise or crowd issue I'm sure our very capable police force can address any real issues."

Hoops were removed over the last two years after residents complained about loutish, unruly and disruptive behavior by players. 

Town Administrator Anthony Cancro said last week that there are "no plans at this time to put up any hoops that were taken down," adding that, "they were removed because, even after police, elected officials and my intervention, the players would not behave themselves."

"We have asked Union County last year to build a full basketball court in Meisel Avenue County Park," he said. "That request is still pending."

Union County Communication Director Sebastian D'Elia said Freeholder Bruce Bergen asked the Open Space Trust Fund to see what could be done in terms of building a basketball court at that location.

"At this point in time we have approved an engineer who is surveying the property to determine what can be done," D'Elia said. "We should probably know within the next 60 days what we're going to do there."

Would you like to see a full court built in Meisel Park? Would you rather see the hoops returned to other parks or should they remain at half court? Tell us in the comments.