Basketball hoops returning to Savage park after early summer shooting
Messages written in chalk plead for city officials to return the basketball hoops to River Bend Park in Savage after the city decided to remove them in hopes of deterring crime. (KSTP)
The basketball hoops at River Bend Park are returning after a vote from the Savage City Council on Monday night.
The hoops are set to return by the end of the week in the same location they were removed from, according to Janet Williams, the mayor of Savage.
The decision for the hoops to return came after the development of a Community Engagement Plan and neighborhood gatherings. Recommendations from the Community Equity Commission as well as the Park, Recreation, and Natural Resources Commission helped solidify the decision as staff from the commissions pledged to help improve safety at Savage parks, Mayor Williams said.
Some of the recommendations include extra police patrols, additional fencing and lighting, reviewing traffic options on Joppa Avenue, and adding programming and a community garden to increase park activity.
“We know this has been a long process. Throughout this process, we learned how important this park is. We heard how important the basketball courts are. And we heard that residents want River Bend Park to remain a neighborhood park,” said Mayor Williams.
RELATED: Savage takes down basketball hoops in response to shooting at River Bend Park
For more information on the recommendations the City of Savage will follow, CLICK HERE.