LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — Work begins today on a stretch of I-630 forcing crews to demolish a popular basketball court that’s been there for decades. “I came out here and saw the cranes and all the equipment over there,” says park go’er Justin Herless.
Herless skates at Kanis Park in Little Rock almost everyday, but today – he noticed something different on the other side of the park; cranes and orange fencing where a decades old basketball court once stood. “That was a nice b-ball court and a place for it too,” says Herless.
Construction on Interstate 630 kicked off Monday. The Arkansas Department of Transportation plans to widen parts of the highway from six to eight lanes and with the new construction – the basketball court that sits under the 630 interstate – was removed.
A spokesperson with the City of Little Rock issued a statement saying, “We are working with ARDOT to evaluate possibilities. Our hope is to return the courts to that area after the project is completed.”
“I feel like if we put money into this park it could become something a lot better,” says 16-year old Nigil Allen. All with hopes the courts will return for good. “This park has kept me out of trouble and my younger friends out of trouble, because it’s a place where you can lose stress,” says Herless.
The city spokesperson says – anyone who wants to play basketball can go to Boyle Park’s basketball courts in the meantime.
