Denville Rotary Clubs Honored for Leading Basketball Court Renovation

Published on February 15, 2021

Peer Place Youngsters Value Basketball Court as a Safe Place to Socialize, Exercise

Children who live in Denville's Peer Place can now meet and play ball at their newly renovated basketball court thanks to a community effort led by Denville's two Rotary Clubs.

Morris County Housing Authority honored Denville Sunrise Rotary Club and the Rotary Club of Denville with official resolutions presented on Feb. 11 thanking them for spearheading the project to clean up the basketball court area, resurface and line the court, replace the fencing, backboards, rims, nets, and add benches and signs.

Responding to a request by the Young Great Residents of Peer Place, the two Rotary Clubs secured a grant, collaborating with the County of Morris Housing Authority and Township of Denville to organize the project. Rotary members donated many volunteer hours to beautification and to working with the young residents.

Over the years, the court had become overgrown, fencing was damaged, and the court surface had deteriorated. Yet, the young residents saw great value in the court as a social outlet, a place for physical exercise and skill development.

Two vendors, My Backyard Sports and Forever Fence "were integral in keeping the pricing affordable to enable this project to be successful," said Housing Authority Executive Director Kelly Stephens. Additionally, the access road was repaved by JCP&L who owned the right away.

"Most of the project was completed by vendors," Stephens said. "However, the Rotary Club members met with the group of kids that utilize the court to develop rules for the court and conduct. The kids had been responsible for clean-up of trash and will continue to self-monitor the court and take ownership" for its usage.

The youngsters learned something else from the Rotary members: They organized themselves into a club and adopted the moniker the Young Great Residents of Peer Place.