Basketball court proposed for Lincolnshire's Balzer Park

Amateur athletes will be able to live out their hoop dreams at Lincolnshire's Balzer Park if plans for a small basketball court proceed.

The outdoor, half-court playing surface would be made of asphalt and have one hoop. It could cost about $22,000 to build, Village Manager Brad Burke said.

The proposal is part of a larger renovation at Balzer Park, which is on Windsor Drive east of Wellington Court.

About $163,000 is included in the village's annual budget for updates at the park, which is about 20 years old and features four tennis courts, a playground and a nature trail.

The playground equipment was replaced with new gear this summer as part of that project. A new bike rack and path resurfacing are among the other proposed changes.

Officials initially proposed adding a basketball hoop to the existing tennis court, but the village's park board is recommending a separate space for cagers at the 9-acre site, Burke said.

"We have the space," he said.

The court would be built on the northwest side of the park, according to village documents.

Adding a basketball hoop to the park would create a new amenity for middle-school or high-school students, Burke said.

Lincolnshire has 10 parks covering 181 acres.

Village trustees will discuss the Balzer Park proposal during a committee-of-the-whole meeting set for Monday night. It will begin after an earlier village board meeting concludes.

That first session is scheduled for 7 p.m. at village hall, 1 Olde Half Day Road.

If trustees informally back the plan Monday, they could officially approve it as soon as Aug. 25, Burke said.