Team Effort Aids 2 Basketball Courts

The Coca-Cola Bottling Co. has teamed with the city’s Recreation and Community Services Department to improve basketball courts at two city parks.

On Friday, members of the Los Angeles Sparks women’s professional basketball team helped celebrate the opening of one of those courts by making an appearance at San Fernando Park.

Following the rededication ceremony, Sparks’ players initiated the court with a free clinic on shooting and ball-handling techniques for local youths. Afterward, the children were given a chance to win prizes by “beating the pro” in various competitions.

“They really have gotten involved here,” said Ed Montan, director of the Recreation and Community Services Department. “They refurbished one court here at San Fernando Park and also one at Las Palmas Park. They also told us it is their intent to do a few more courts and work with us on some other projects as well.”

As part of the $8,000 overhaul, the basketball courts were repaved, repainted and fitted with new backboards and rims, officials said.

Coca-Cola, which also contributed to the city’s annual fiesta and 5-kilometer Mission Run this year, donated the money through its Fun Zones Refurbishment Project. The program was established to improve inner-city playgrounds, officials said.