Four Months Without a Hoop
Shanty Restaurant owner Jon Dempster has added his voice to those concerned over the removal last Christmas of the basketball hoops at Central Park. Dempster has offered to help with construction and funding of a new court. In the meantime, some residents think the Town should replace the hoops it removed, since construction at the Old School has again been delayed. (Wave photo)
By GEORGE SOUTHERN
Cape Charles Wave
April 30, 2013
Four months have passed since December 26, 2012, when Town maintenance workers returning to work after the Christmas holidays removed the backboards and hoops from what had been Cape Charles’ only basketball court.
One week earlier, on December 19, Mayor Dora Sullivan had signed over the deed conveying to a developer the basketball court, playground parking lot, and Old School at Central Park.
The backboards and hoops were not excluded from the sale, and so belonged to the developer, but the Town was allowed to have them in exchange for removing them. They have been in storage ever since.
Developer J. David McCormack, formerly operating as Echelon Resources but now doing business as Charon Ventures, struck a deal with the Town to convert the Old School into an apartment building and the basketball court into a private parking lot.
The property was valued on the Town tax rolls at $921,000, but Town Council agreed to pay Echelon Resources $41,000 to take the property. No bids were requested, and offers from the community group Old School Cape Charles were rejected without a vote.
The children’s playground parking lot was also conveyed, and will become private parking for tenants at the 17-unit apartment complex.
The Old School and parkland had been zoned Open Space until the Town rezoned it R-1 Residential.
Although apartment buildings are not permitted in R-1 Residential, the Town Planning Commission voted last August 23 to recommend an exception. A condition to that exception was that the basketball court be relocated.
Eight months later, relocating the basketball court has yet to appear on Town Council’s agenda.
Town Council has, however, extended until August 23 the deadline for developer McCormack to begin construction, which means the former basketball court could sit unused another four months.
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McCormack’s interest in the property was driven by the opportunity for up to 45 percent of his costs to be paid by historic tax credits from state and federal agencies.
On behalf of McCormack, Town Manager Heather Arcos submitted an application last October 1 to the National Park Service stating that the “basketball court will be removed and relocated to public property by the Town of Cape Charles.”
To date, nothing has been done. But the issue surfaced again at the April 25 Town Council meeting when Arcos distributed copies of a letter from Jon Dempster, owner of the Shanty Restaurant. Dempster’s letter states in part:
“I’d like to express my concern over the removal of the basketball hoops to Council.
“I believe that this is a top priority for the Town and its youth, as I have grown up on basketball courts and always found them to be instrumental youth hangouts – especially in a town without many options for our kids. The more healthy alternatives we can provide, the more active role we can take in helping to shape our kids’ future in a positive and healthy manner.
“I’d like to extend myself in any manner possible to help facilitate the construction and funding of this project. I’d be happy to undertake whatever responsibilities I could, including fundraising or design. The Shanty would certainly be willing to put together a big fundraiser, and I believe other companies and individuals in town would join the effort. I believe strongly that Echelon should at least match any contribution that the town or sponsors can contribute.
“In the wake of the Old Cape Charles School deal here in town I believe it’s extremely important for us all to come together as a town and provide a common resource in the interest of not only our kids, but also for the good will it would provide with the parents of the community.
“I have no side here on the development project and would be happy to act as an ambassador to any companies or individuals that may like to partake in this project. Anything I can do to expedite this with summer around the corner and school letting out would be a top priority for me.”
Neither Arcos nor any member of Town Council expressed any reaction to Dempster’s letter.
There is also a sentiment among some Town residents that the hoops should be replaced at the old basketball court until a new court is built.
In the meantime, the ball is in Town Council’s court.
Hoops must be around somewhere as our town council has been jumping through Echelon hoops from the very beginning.
Put them back up and keep them there until some visible construction begins which may take ages with all of the extensions granted.
Courts are a great idea. B-ball can provide lots of fun and exercise to a group with just one ball, but, of course, you need the hoops.
Putting them back at the Old School is not an option if the town no longer owns the property. Liability insurance comes to mind.
So, how about some more positive input like Mr. Dempster’s? Where seems No.1, and that has to come from the town. The cost shouldn’t be that much. How about the contractors that put in the alleged “fountain” and “sprinkler system” at the park do it for free? As long as the hoops don’t fall down in two months.
I applaud Mr. Dempster’s civic spirit! That’s what I call putting your money where your mouth is.
I usually don’t comment on much, but I totally agree with Jon Dempster on this issue. I also would be willing to help out in any way I can for our kids. I think it’s utterly ridiculous that there is no basketball court, baseball field or soccer goals at our beautiful and expensive central park, but we do have a nice fountain. The children of our community should be our top priority.
I’ll chime in by offering assistance as well.
I heartedly agree with Mr. Dempster’s sentiment. Could this be another of the Town of Cape Charles’ unkept promises? The Council is too busy spending money on police cars and the new library. Even if those are necessary items, they should be able to divert monies from somewhere to build the new basketball courts, just like they did to purchase the bank building for the library. Or is this
a project the Town Council does not WANT to complete? That is my 2 cents’ worth! RLM
I agree with the comments here. The lack of any comment from your council members speak volumes actually, they basically are telling you if you want a basketball court, the people will need to do it themselves, the town council will not assist, so I hope in your next election cycle you remember their silence in helping provide a safe and fun sport for the kids in your community.
I’d also be more than happy to assist in helping build a new BB court.
I believe this is an opportunity for us to come together and work with council in a positive relationship towards a common goal.
This town council, mayor, and both managers don’t care whether there is a basketball court or not. I think it is great that Mr. Dempster wants to help and so many citizens want to help. Problem is where? The town needs to make good on their promise and get it DONE. They found the money for a library but fat chance of them coming up with the $$$ for a basketball court. As far as Echelon kicking in….can I say FAT CHANCE! Edwin Gaskin plainly stated at the August meeting that he would not pay 1 cent towards a basketball court.
I know a great place…AT THE COMMUNITY CENTER! Oh that’s right, the town gave it away
All this town cares about is the tourist trade. They could care less what the people who live here want. The citizens of this town need to vote most of the council OUT! Fire both of those managers and start over with ALL NEW PEOPLE! Ones that actually listen to the people and not the ring of a cash register.
Again let me say thanks to Jon Dempster for trying.
I applaud Mr. Dempster for being proactive and raising awareness of this issue. I’d like to offer a potential solution to the current situation –- i.e., the lack of suitable recreation in the town. Can the town place a basketball court on the land adjacent to the Madison Avenue Skate Park? I’d be surprised if the town couldn’t muster up some resources to lay out the forms for the new court, and I’m sure the developer, (Charon Ventures) would, as a sign of good-will and community involvement, donate enough asphalt to create a court of equal size (or larger) as the one slated to become a parking lot. What an opportunity for a triple win situation — that is, a win for the town, the developer, and the children of Cape Charles who soon will be out of school for the summer, with nothing to do.
An earlier comment spoke more broadly to the lack of recreational facilities in the park. I understand that as parks go, the Cape Charles Central Park is rather small. However, there appears to be an unused baseball diamond just east of “The Hump.” This area won’t require “re-purposing” — as it’s already designed for sporting activity. Why can’t the town either forge a partnership with the owner OR simply create a large recreation area there, one suitable for games like baseball, soccer, lacrosse, and touch football?
I too, even though I have been tagged a ‘come here’, appreciate the Park and have chimed in regarding the egregious removal of the basketball courts.
I am saddened that those of us who want to make CC our ‘second home’ are so abjured by some of the locals. All I want to do is to enjoy my town, and spend as much as I can to ensure the viability of the town.
Regarding the generous offer by Mr. Dempster: sadly this is exactly what Council was hoping for. Ignore the issue and let someone else do it.