Pottstown pulling rims from basketball courts

POTTSTOWN » Borough officials have announced the official closure of all basketball courts and will remove rims in apparent reaction to teens continuing to use the courts at the Ricketts Community Center.

“Hoops will be removed and gates locked as necessary to enforce this condition,” according to the alert sent out by the borough Wednesday afternoon.

The borough had already announced the closure of all playgrounds, the bark park and public restroom facilities as part of the effort to stem the spread of coronavirus.

The hoops were previously removed from the courts at

Bright Hope public housing, according to a letter from Joel Johnson, head of the Montgomery County Housing Authority to Jonathan Corson, president of the Pottstown chapter of the NAACP.

Corson had expressed concern to officials that the courts at the Ricketts Center continued to be used by youth.

“The national office of the NAACP is concerned that African

Americans are dying at disproportionate numbers,” Corson wrote in a letter to borough hall asking play there be disallowed. That letter was shared with The Mercury.

“The African American community has a high number of underlining diseases such as high cholesterol, diabetes, asthma,” Corson wrote.

“Since the basketball court/playground is in an area where it is used by mostly African American youth, that is a major concern among us in the community as to why it is left open,” he added.

“If this spreads, this not only affects the African American community. It can affect the whole community, this virus does not care what race, gender, title that you have or who you are,” Corson

wrote.

Cover Faces on the Bus

On behalf of Pottstown Area Rapid Transit, which is no longer collecting fares, the borough is also asking riders to cover their faces while riding.

“PART is requesting all passengers cover their nose and mouth with a mask, scarf, or bandana while utilizing transit,” according to the borough alert.

“In addition, PART requests that passengers eliminate all non-essential bus travel until further notice,” according to the borough.