Not to worry, New York City Councilman Mike Nelson says, the shuttered Manhattan Beach basketball courts will indeed be rehabilitated.
Confusion about the future of the courts located on the eastern end of Manhattan Beach appeared to be in doubt after Nelson indicated that the $300,000 he was able to allocate from the city budget was not going to be enough to get the job done.
But this week Nelson clarified the situation explaining that the uncertainly involved Manhattan Beach’s run-down baseball diamond near Falmouth Street and not the basketball courts.
“No, it [$300,000] should be enough for the basketball courts,” Nelson told the Bay News. “The baseball field is the problem. It’s not in terrible shape, but it could be better.”
According to Nelson, additional funding will be needed to level the field, install artificial grass and perhaps some bleacher seating.
Parks Department spokesperson Phil Abramson, meanwhile, reconfirmed this week that the $300,000 allocation Nelson was able to secure over the summer will be enough to finally restore Manhattan Beach’s long-shuttered basketball courts.
“We think it’ll be enough to get the job done,” Abramson said.
Nelson recently met with Park Department officials at the offices of Community Board 15 to discuss the scope of the work.
“There will be new asphalt,” Abramson said, in addition to new hoops and hash marks. “If there are cost overruns we can seek additional funds. Councilman Nelson has allocated the money and we’re proceeding.”
While no timeline for the work has yet been announced, Nelson says he hopes the work can begin sometime in the spring.
