The topic of basketball hoops was again prominent at the Green Park Board of Aldermen’s April 21 meeting.

The conversation around allowing basketball hoops in the city’s right-of-ways has been on-and-off since early 2021.

Though not specifically on the recent meeting’s agenda, a group of approximately 14 Green Park residents, primarily made up of a few families, stood outside Green Park City Hall with signs reading “Let the Children Play” alongside a depiction of a basketball hoop. When the meeting began, those with signs joined the rest of their group inside, gearing up to speak during the citizens’ comments and petitions portion of the evening.

When that section of the meeting rolled around, five residents spoke in opposition of the city’s stance against allowing basketball hoops in right-of-ways, stating that the codes cited do not have anything to do with basketball hoops.

Rick Serina – a vocal advocate for allowing the hoops – spoke first. Serina has attended multiple meetings over the past year and a half to voice his frustration with the city.

“For four years, Green Park has pressured residents to remove their basketball goals by citing one municipal code,” Serina said. “Thirty-six residents removed their goals under threat of prosecution. The very day I finally had an appearance in court to make my case against that code, the city changed it without explanation or justification. That is a clear acknowledgment that the code you have used for four years never applied. Those 36 residents deserve a public apology.”

Serina went on to say that the city has not answered any of his or his attorney’s questions, and that it is threatening to make him liable for its legal fees.

“To top it off, Green Park amazingly approved another marijuana dispensary in its city limits, despite a half-dozen of them within walking distance. Green Park will now proudly have more dispensaries than basketball goals. Weed: 1. Children: 0,” Serina continued. “You may be able to ignore my questions, but you can’t continue to ignore your other constituents. They have children, they care about children in this community and they surely are concerned about your approach to governance without accountability.”

His statement – along with the following statements regarding the basketball hoops situation – was met with loud applause at its close. 

Ron Laszewski, another vocal advocate for basketball hoops in Green Park, spoke next. Each resident was given approximately three minutes to speak.

“I don’t know how many thousand people live in Green Park, but I guarantee you that the majority are pro-kids, pro-activity, anti-multiple hours on tablets,” he said. “I stood up to this because that ordinance was always a utility ordinance … nothing to do with a basketball goal. I’ve had a portable basketball goal for 23 years in that cul-de-sac.”

The three additional Green Park residents who spoke – all of whom had never previously come before the board – were in agreement with Serina and Laszewski, echoing the importance of letting children play outside together, particularly following the isolating COVID-19 pandemic. 

 “This is your future,” Ashley McCusker said.