Ken Ross Basketball Court

Around Highbury Park Drive, we are fortunate to be close to Ken Ross Park. Just across Longfields Drive, we have access to a splash pad, a playground, walking paths, a running track, baseball and softball diamonds, rugby, soccer and football fields, and a running track.

But what if you want to play basketball?

In that case, you need to walk 15 minutes, past the Station development and under the transitway and across Holitman Drive, to reach the only public basketball court east of Greenbank and west of Woodroffe.

We can do better.

Between the Ken Ross parking lot and Longfields Drive, there’s an awkward piece of unused land.

In fact, on OpenStreetMap, this area is still called the “Longfields Skateboard Park”.

In the winter, it is used as a snow dump for the Ken Ross Park parking lot. In the summer, it sits empty.

Transforming this space into a basketball court, similar to the court at Cappamore Park near Greenbank and Barnsdale, makes a lot of sense:

• The unused space is almost exactly the right size.
• Basketball hoops, fencing, pavement, and paint is a relatively inexpensive and low maintenance addition to Ken Ross Park.
• Can continue to be used in the winter as a snow dump.
• Encourages active, outdoor play.

Spread The Word

If you want to see a basketball court in our community, help spread the word! You can email Councillor Lo to share this idea. He can be reached at Wilson.Lo@ottawa.ca.