New basketball court opens in Winnipeg's North End

Winnipeg’s North End residents have a brand new spot to shoot some hoops.

On Wednesday, the Government of Canada, the Province of Manitoba and the City of Winnipeg celebrated the opening of a new outdoor basketball court at Sinclair Park Community Centre.

The basketball court, which used to be a baseball diamond, is made from acrylic sport court surfacing and features new chain-link fencing, seating, and improved drainage in the areas around the court.

“There’s absolutely no doubt whatsoever in my mind that this will be a well-utilized basketball court going into the future. Just a first-class facility,” said Kevin Lamoureux, Member of Parliament for Winnipeg North.

Winnipeg city council approved funding for the court through the COVID-19 Economic Response and Recovery Plan, which focuses, in part, on improving regional park infrastructure and adding amenities to underserved areas of the city.

The budget for the project was $352,000, with $290,000 coming from the federal government and $62,000 from the city.

“It’s all about investing in infrastructure and investing in the lives of, especially, the next generation,” said Diljeet Brar, the MLA for Burrows.

“I’m a big fan of youth leadership development and sports is one of the wonderful tools for youth leadership development.”