Whereas Hoops, St. Louis, MO (2026)

12/11/2023

And we’re back! Returning from hiatus, the Whereas Hoops podcast speaks with Larry Zarin, longtime St. Louisan, retired former Chief Marketing Officer at Express Scripts, and founder of "The Layup Line," the group that proved instrumental in fundraising and gathering support for the installation of basketball hoops in Forest Park. Thanks in large part to the efforts of Larry and the other members of "The Layup Line," the ground has been broken and hoops are on their way! The basketball facilities should open to the public sometime in Spring 2024. Noah and Larry talk about what the new facilities will look like, what sort of events might take place there, and the story of Nick Booker, the young St. Louisan in whose memory the courts will be dedicated.

Link in bio. 🙏 Larry!

12/11/2023

And we’re back! Returning from hiatus, the Whereas Hoops podcast speaks with Larry Zarin, longtime St. Louisan, retired former Chief Marketing Officer at Express Scripts, and founder of "The Layup Line," the group that proved instrumental in fundraising and gathering support for the installation of basketball hoops in Forest Park. Thanks in large part to the efforts of Larry and the other members of "The Layup Line," the ground has been broken and hoops are on their way! The basketball facilities should open to the public sometime in Spring 2024. Noah and Larry talk about what the new facilities will look like, what sort of events might take place there, and the story of Nick Booker, the young St. Louisan in whose memory the courts will be dedicated.

Link in bio. 🙏 Larry!

11/08/2023

Yesterday was an historic day of celebration in Forest Park! With media outlets including and in attendance, over 100 community supporters and officials, including , gathered to break ground on the $1.5 million capital project that will bring basketball courts—once and for all—to .

The courts are named in memory of the late Nicholas J. Booker (pictured), a St. Louis youth who loved basketball and spent his summers working in Forest Park with the City’s Department of Parks, Recreation, and Forestry. Tragically, Nick died in 2018 during his first year of college after suffering a severe asthma attack while playing pickup basketball. Nick Booker’s grandfather, Andy Newman, is trustee of the foundation which made the lead gift for the courts in Nick’s name; Andy’s mother was Evelyn Newman, the philanthropist who served as the first executive director of Forest Park Forever.

Nick’s parents, Britt and Tonya Booker, were at the groundbreaking. Britt Booker shared with KMOV that he remembers growing up going to Forest Park and not having basketball courts. He said the courts to come will hopefully bridge the gap:

“People don’t understand how special it is. My hope is that the metropolitan area won’t be as segmented as it is now. Bellville to Wentzville to South St. Louis to North St. Louis will come together. People of all ethnicities and economic background will feel welcome.”

We wholeheartedly agree and can’t wait for the courts to open in summer 2024!

11/03/2023

Groundbreaking announced for the Nicholas J. Booker Courts in Forest Park: Tuesday, Nov. 7 at 3pm! Link in bio for additional details. 🏀🌳🌻🎉

10/18/2023

Step 9 is here (!!!), which means this time next year STL could be hoopin’ 🏀 in Forest Park!

On Thursday, the Forest Park Advisory Board will convene to review the final design for the new basketball courts being built in Forest Park. Pending approval, construction is anticipated to begin within the next two months.

Whereas Hoops will be attending to express our support of the final design, which includes 2 full courts, 2 half courts, energy efficient lights, a shade structure, drinking fountains, benches and picnic tables. These and other details can be viewed online in the “Forest Park Advisory Board, Step 9 Presentation” put together by (link in bio).

We will also be handing out updated versions of the accordion book we made last summer that advocates for a vibrant mural to be painted on the courts. The booklet features work by , , , (with the artist collective ), , and .

10/05/2023

A reimagining of the Apotheosis of St. Louis, the current version of which was unveiled in Forest Park this week in 1906. How about hoops as the “highest point of humankind” (sorry, King Louis IX of France). You in?

06/13/2023

Have you heard? Tower Grove Park has broken ground on their project to install new basketball hoops! (See today’s Post-Dispatch article - link in bio.)

We at Whereas Hoops welcome the restoration of basketball to one of St. Louis’s great outdoor spaces, and look forward to the day when Forest Park does the same. Before that happens, the Forest Park Advisory Board will meet on September 21 to discuss the latest developments (Step 9 of the Project Approval Process). We will keep you posted on all the latest developments!

03/14/2023

Check out this beautiful rendering of the preliminary design for 🏀 courts in Forest Park!

Additional renderings and site plans will be presented by SWT Design at the Forest Park Advisory Board meeting this Thursday, March 16, at 4:30pm. We encourage you to take a look at the presentation, a pdf of which is which is publicly available online (link in bio).

We’re excited to see the following adjustments made to the design based on additional feedback gathered (see p. 15 of the presentation for a full list):

- Build both half and full courts in one phase
- Eliminate fencing
- Dark sky compliant lighting
- Provide facilities for all ages
- Improve access from Grand Drive

Thursday will mark Step 6—”Preliminary Design Approval by the Director of Parks, Recreation, and Forestry”—in the long, winding nine-step project approval process. Every indication is that construction will begin in late 2023.

Thank you Department of Parks, Recreation, and Forestry, and for bringing St. Louis one step closer to having basketball in Forest Park!

02/21/2023

Thank you of for shooting 🏀 with me (John) and my son in Forest Park yesterday and interviewing us about the upcoming addition to the park! Link in bio for video and story.

02/02/2023

Express *your* interest in bringing basketball courts to Forest Park this evening at the O’Fallon Park YMCA from from 4-7pm! This is the fourth and final Public Open House to give your input on the court design and project amenities.

Pictured is a screenshot and closed caption text from from ’s recent reporting on hoops coming to Forest Park (full video linked in bio).

01/30/2023

This week there are three more opportunities for the public to share their thoughts on the 🏀 courts coming to ! (Schedule linked in bio.)

We at encourage you to attend and weigh in on what you’d like to see. One thing we’d like to see is a a reparative gesture for the the fact that basketball courts were conspicuously absent from Forest Park for the first 130+ years of the game’s existence, and the inevitable racist implications of that absence.

One way to make such a gesture, and leave a distinctive and beautiful visual imprint on the landscape of the park, would be to create a court mural. Though commissioning such a mural would have to be a deliberate and inclusive process, we can’t help but imagine a court marked by the jersey design of the St. Louis Community College–Forest Park mens basketball team from the 1970s, as mocked up here. Theirs was, after all, a team whose jersey commemorated a park in which its Black and white players alike had no place to play ball.

What court mural ideas do you have?

01/27/2023

St. Louis, this is the last opportunity to offer your input on the court design and amenities at the basketball facilities coming to Forest Park later this year!

One way to do this is to attend one of the three remaining Public Open Houses being held next week. If you’re unable to attend one of these in-person events, you can view the design plans and fill out a survey online. Links to information about all of the above can be found in our bio.

The first Public Open House was held yesterday at The Heights Recreational Center, which featured a range of display boards showing the final four plans in consideration, an overhead view of the project site, and a list of potential amenities and court features. Sticky notes were provided for the public to offer their feedback directly on the display boards. Individuals from the design team, , and the St. Louis City Department of Parks, Recreation, and Forestry were on hand and eagerly answered questions and engaged with visitors.

Also part of the event was a spirited basketball game between members of the local Police Department and Fire Department, as well as a drawing station to design a basketball jersey in commemoration of 🏀 coming to Forest Park. Whereas Hoops will be nominating the jersey design of the St. Louis Community College–Forest Park mens basketball team from the 1970s. The jersey (pictured) says it all: “The Park.” Ironically, of course, the team repped a park that did not have a hoop for them or anyone else to play on. Until now!

Public input is being accepted through February 9, 2023. Spread the word!

Whereas Hoops

12/11/2023

12/11/2023

11/08/2023

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10/18/2023

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