Hoops Park

By Tracy Young, Aurora Parks and Open Space Department

Completed in June 2005, this 1.2-acre special-use park features three high school regulation size, day use basketball courts. To avoid the institutionalized feeling of having back-to-back courts, a pedestrian plaza was placed as a buffer between courts. The courts are constructed of durable post-tension concrete with a multi-colored acrylic coating. Photos courtesy of the Aurora Parks and Open Space Department

The vision of the City of Aurora?EUR??,,????'???s Parks and Open Space Department is to provide a broad spectrum of facilities which will positively benefit the social and physical well being of the community. To achieve this, the City has developed a number of special use parks, meaning a park constructed specifically for one use or sport. By concentrating on a particular sport, the Aurora Parks and Open Space Department is able to produce top-quality, high-end facilities that appeal to novice and experts alike.

The basketball standards are made from pre-cast, reinforced concrete and are anchored to another concrete footer 3 feet below grade. Backboards are constructed of perforated clear polycarbonate, which is shatterproof, wind resistant, lighter in weight and very user (shooter) friendly.

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Development of special-use parks provide users with the highest quality facilities while minimizing maintenance costs, and avoiding conflicts between different users and sports while reducing the need for repetitive buffer land between user facilities. Aurora?EUR??,,????'???s Hoops Park exemplifies planning and design standards incorporated into today?EUR??,,????'???s special uses parks.

Seen as a basketball ?EUR??,,????'??haven?EUR??,,????'??, the park was planned to be a destination spot for local youth and a way to provide positive, healthy opportunities in the community. The park was constructed using Conservation Trust Fund dollars from the Colorado Lottery.

Special Use Parks

Hoops Park was designed to address the basketball interests in north Aurora. Older parks were typically programmed with basketball and tennis courts side-by-side, often creating user conflicts given the level of intensity and difference in audience participation between these sports. After dedicating funding to upgrade a tennis center facility, the Parks and Open Space Department wanted to provide similar upgrades in a basketball venue.

Completed in June 2005, this 1.2 acre special-use park features three high school regulation size, day use basketball courts. The courts are constructed of durable post-tension concrete with a multi-colored acrylic coating. The goals are pre-cast concrete standard, with innovative polycarbonate (clear) backboard and heavy-duty break-a-way flex rims. With this unique design, Hoops Park provides the highest quality and most durable outdoor courts for ?EUR??,,????'??ballers?EUR??,,????'?? in the Metro area.

The site location is ideal due to the ease of access from a major arterial road and the proximity to regional bus routes. Since the park site is not directly adjacent to any residential areas, the intensity and noise generated during play does not create neighborhood conflicts.

Creating a Destination Spot

The site location is ideal due to the ease of access from a major arterial road and the proximity to regional bus routes. Since the park site is not directly adjacent to any residential areas the intensity and noise generated during play does not create neighborhood conflicts. Two separate public meetings were held with surrounding landowners to discuss potential design elements, as well as concerns about the park. Overall, the feedback from these meetings was informative and positive. Adults and youth from this area applauded staff efforts to construct a basketball ?EUR??,,????'??haven.?EUR??,,????'?? The park was seen as a destination spot for local youth and a way to provide positive, healthy opportunities in the community. The park was constructed using Conservation Trust Fund dollars from the Colorado Lottery.

ABOVE & BELOW: Since the courts are the focus, all the site furnishings are powder coated black to bring out the colors in each court. The site also has a drinking fountain, handicap accessible vault toilet and 22 on-site parking spaces.

At Hoops Park, the basketball courts naturally dominate the site. The three full sized courts are aligned in the preferred north-south orientation and are constructed of durable post-tension concrete. An acrylic coating was put over the concrete with each court featuring a different color coating: blue, maroon, and green. Concrete covering the courts is six inches thick, two inches above the recommended standard to provide greater durability. The basketball standards are made from pre-cast reinforced concrete and are anchored to another concrete footer three feet below grade. Backboards are constructed of perforated clear polycarbonate which is shatterproof, wind resistant, lighter in weight and very user (shooter) friendly. The goals have an industrial strength break-away flex rim. As a whole, the courts make an impressive statement about the quality of design work put into the project.

"The park was seen as a destination spot for local youth and a way to provide positive, healthy opportunities in the community."

Site Furnishings That Work

Since the courts are the focus, all the site furnishings are powder coated black to bring out the colors in each court. To avoid the institutionalized feeling of having back-to-back courts, a pedestrian plaza was placed as a buffer between courts. The 10 foot x 10 foot raised planter seat walls compliment the courts and provide spectator seating under tree shade. Each of these planters has anti-grinding skateboard deterrents anchored 4 inches into the concrete seat wall. A surrounding fence was needed for ball control so the department design staff chose a variety of 10 foot, 8 foot, and 4 foot fences with bonded black vinyl to again enhance the aesthetics of the court. The site also has a drinking fountain, handicap accessible vault toilet, and 22 on-site parking spaces. Around the courts, water conscious landscaping was implemented using the xeric planting principles and subsurface irrigation.

ABOVE AND BELOW: The 10-foot by 10-foot raised planter seat walls compliment the courts and provide spectator seating under tree shade. Each of these planters has anti-grinding skateboard deterrents anchored four inches into the concrete seat wall.

The community has embraced Hoops Park and usage has been incredible since day one. Neighborhood families and a local church youth organization serve as eyes on the park. This ownership has kept the site activities focused and positive. The many awards they?EUR??,,????'???ve received recognize new park projects that demonstrate high standards of planning, design, operation, maintenance, and aesthetics. The Aurora Parks and Open Space Department has long range plans for similar basketball complexes in other areas of the city.

"The community has embraced Hoops Park and usage has been incredible since day one."

Special Use Parks as a Form

In keeping with the plan, other special use parks were developed in the Aurora Sports Park Complex. With 23 full sized soccer fields and 12 baseball/softball fields, the award-winning Aurora Sports Park is a crown jewel for sports in the Aurora park system. The Park is 220 total acres with 80 acres designated as sports turf. Local youth and adult leagues in baseball, softball, soccer, football, lacrosse, volleyball, kickball, and rugby are accommodated during spring, summer, and fall at the Aurora Sports Park. Since opening in 2001, this special use park has hosted over 70 local and national tournaments. The Park also provides game fields for seven City of Aurora youth programs, eight independent youth sports organizations, and more than 740 adult softball teams. Over 5,000 games were played in the park in 2005.

In 2005 the Department received the Colorado Parks and Recreation Association?EUR??,,????'???s 2005 Columbine Award in Park Design for Hoops Park.

Wheel Park was added to the complex to address the need for extreme sport facilities in the community of Aurora, Colorado. Extreme sport enthusiasts, particularly youth and young adults, expressed discontent with the lack of BMX, inline hockey, and skate park facilities in this city of more than 300,000 people. Lacking a formal facility, skateboarders would illegally skate outside private malls or on public stairs and walkways. Aurora Parks and Open Space staff decided to address these issues by combining similar activities into a ?EUR??,,????'??Wheel Park?EUR??,,????'?? ?EUR??,,????'??? a special use park dedicated to all wheel sports.

A surrounding fence was needed for ball control so the department design staff chose a variety of 10-foot, 8-foot, and 4-foot fences with bonded black vinyl to again enhance the aesthetics of the court.

Aurora Wheel Park has had significant social impact on the community. The park has become ?EUR??,,????'??the place?EUR??,,????'?? to go to, therefore providing a positive social outlet for the youth of the community. The park brought local youth and city officials together and allowed a growing trend to become an established destination. Local youth voluntarily contributed their efforts throughout the planning and design of Wheel Park, and local officials valued their efforts by following through and implementing their ideas into the project. This positive, interactive relationship highlighted the competency of local youths, bolstering their self esteem, while also developing a sense of ownership with the park.

Around the courts, water conscious landscaping was implemented using xeric planting principles and subsurface irrigation. In the foreground are Thornless Cocksbur Hawthorne trees, and behind them are Autumn purple Ash. The shrubs right in front are Redleaf Barberry.

Success is its Own Reward

Aurora?EUR??,,????'???s quality special use parks have not gone unnoticed. In 2005 the Department received the Colorado Parks and Recreation Association?EUR??,,????'???s 2005 Columbine Award in Park Design for both Aurora Wheel Park and Hoops Park.

The three full sized courts are aligned in the preferred north-south orientation and are constructed of durable post-tension concrete. Each court features a different color coating: blue, maroon, and green. Concrete covering the courts is six inches thick, two inches above the recommended standard to provide greater durability.

This award recognizes new park projects that demonstrate high standards of planning, design, operation, maintenance, and aesthetics. Also in 2005, Aurora Wheel Park received a Starburst Award from the Colorado Lottery, which recognizes park and conservation agencies across the state for excellence in the use of Lottery funds. Aurora Wheel Park was the Starburst Award winner in the Denver Metro Region. Aurora Sports Park was given the James Farrell Award for Excellence by the American Softball Association in 2002, and continues to draw leagues and tournaments from across the mid-west.