By Farrah Philpot
With the sun setting earlier in the fall, downtown players are enjoying the newfound chance to ball past dark at the freshly-refurbished St. Luke’s Park outdoor basketball court.
The installation of lighting at the historic site – recognized as Ottawa’s version of New York City’s Rucker Park – represented more than just an upgraded sports venue, it was a major equity win for marginalized communities.
St. Luke’s Park – next to Elgin and Gladstone streets in Centretown – features a pool, an indoor community room, a small outdoor workout facility, tennis courts and the storied basketball court.
For a long time, the St. Luke’s basketball community felt their space was neglected compared to the neighbouring tennis courts. There were lights shining onto the tennis courts until 11 p.m., but when it came to the basketball court, hoopers had to leave at nightfall.
“St. Luke’s basketball court didn’t have lighting, so that was a no-brainer for me,” Somerset Ward councillor Ariel Troster recalls of her initial discussions on plans for the project. “[The lighting] doubles their playtime. As fall comes along and it’s dark at 5 p.m., they can still play until 11, like every other sport.”
Along with the previous lack of light, the backboard, baskets and nets needed improvement, plus the court itself, with tree roots pushing through the pavement to create a tripping hazard. A player- and environmentally-friendly solution was found.
“What we did was a concrete pad that’s built to allow room for tree roots and it shouldn’t warp. They also lobbied to have a plexi surface, which will help with friction,” explains Troster, who worked with community leaders and veteran court users such as Mahamat-Ali Haggar and Mufasa Love to set in motion the renewal, which was funded from the City of Ottawa’s cash in lieu of parkland budget.
“It was a really great process. We did a community engagement when we were redesigning the court, where we organized it with the St. Luke’s community,” Troster adds. “It’s about so much more than basketball. It’s also about community – community development, community growth.”
The community came out in full force for the formal reopening celebration on Aug. 16, with a BBQ, a DJ and constant basketball games throughout the all-day event.
A symbol of the historic and critical role the court has played for the Ottawa basketball community came from the presence of the Shayok New Wave team, which played the BGC Ron Kolbus Clubhouse team in one of three organized games (along with St. Luke Youth vs. Phoenix and the Ottawa Police Service Hoopstars vs. the St. Luke’s Adults).
Shayok New Wave is an AAU program founded by pro basketball player and 2024 South Sudan Olympian Marial Shayok, the first Ottawa player chosen in the NBA draft. St. Luke’s is the court where Marial’s father Makur Shayok played when he first landed in Canada and found a new community with his family.
“We’re seeing everyone from different walks of life just coming and shooting some moves, being by the pool, playing tennis and working out as well,” describes Aman Ehdego, a director for the St. Luke’s basketball community who’s used the courts for a quarter-century, of the event day. “It’s summer. People need to be outside, and we’re seeing that.”
This article is part of the Ottawa Sports Pages’ Inclusion in Sport series. Read more about local sport inclusion initiatives at: OttawaSportsPages.ca/Ottawa-Sports-Pages-Inclusion-In-Sport-Series/.