Two sixth-grade Young Street residents will no longer have to complain to their parents about being bored. And neither will their neighborhood friends, thanks to them.
Catherine Mazza and Angelie Tomais were bored and itching to play some basketball last summer so they made a scrapbook about how they would turn unused public land at the end of their dead-end block into a community basketball court.
They took their plans to Cortlandt Town Supervisor Linda Puglisi and asked her if she would help. The supervisor and town officials got on board and the girls got to work creating “Hoops 4 U,” which was opened yesterday.
The half-basketball court is located at the end of Young Street, on the northern end of Cortlandt. About thirty families live on the block and many of them were present to congratulate the girls on a job well done and to shoot some hoops at the opening ceremony. Dozens of neighborhood girls lined up to make a basket after the event, indicating Hoops 4 U would surely be a favorite local spot.
The two girls were involved in the design, equipment selection, bidding, marketing and other aspects of the project.
“It feels good to get something accomplished,” said Tomais. “You know what I mean? We did something good.”
Watch the video above to hear more from the girls and Town Supervisor Linda Puglisi.
