Basketball court at west Edmonton school renovated thanks to community program

Centennial School basketball court on Tuesday June 18, 2024. (Marek Tkach/CTV News Edmonton)

Centennial School in west Edmonton now has a fresh new place for students and community members to shoot some hoops.

On Tuesday, the newly renovated basketball court was unveiled and kids had the chance to break in the space.

The space got a total refresh thanks to a collaboration between the Edmonton Stingers, the Edmonton Public Schools Foundation and GoAuto.

"It's truly amazing to see the kids out here having so much fun on a brand new court," said Duncan Cochrane with GoAuto.

"We've had fences up all week .... the kids have been waiting on the sidelines, literally, waiting to get out and take some shots, get out there with their teammates to play some games," added Shannon Harwood, the principal of Centennial School.

The court has been around for 20 years and was starting to show its age.

There are new hoops and nets, a mural and a new tarmac. The mural was done by Edmonton-based artist Alixandra Jade.

The renovation is part of the Stingers' Fresh Hoops program, which has so far refreshed nine school courts across the city, with one currently in the process and seven more in the queue.

"With a new facility, a functioning facility where there's not cracks in the ground and the nets aren't falling off the back boards, it's a place where kids want to go play and it encourages teamwork and development," Duncan said.

It's not just Centennial School that will benefit from the refresh to the court, it's the entire community.

"Our community lives in this space," Harwood said. "We're so close to the park, we have our school that's here, a community League, and you can see people here all year long."

Last year, GoAuto donated $500,000 to the project and will match donations up to an additional $500,000. Donations can be made on the Edmonton Public Schools Foundation's website.