Moving Sartell’s Basketball Court Is Insane [OPINION]

The Sartell City Council has decided to move a basketball court from The Wilds neighborhood to Pinecone Central Park for the bargain cost of $50,000 of taxpayer (my) money. What a joke.

Why is it that we are treating a basketball court like a drug den that needs to be shut down immediately? What's the REAL problem here? Is there even a precedent for tearing out an entire court and moving it across town to appease a vocal minority?

The court is located in a PUBLIC park, which means anyone can use it. Well, it turns out that ALMOST everyone can use it. Apparently the city says it has become a 'regional draw.' What does that even mean? Too many kids from St. Cloud are using it? Sauk Rapids? Waite Park!?! NOT WAITE PARK KIDS!

Sartell City Council member Jeff Kolb via WJON:

We can't keep this harassment or nuisance issue here, it has to be removed.

A basketball court is a nuisance? What would you rather these kids be doing with their time? Sit inside playing video games? Throwing rocks at cars? Drugs? Playing basketball, or any sport, is nothing but positive.

The whole thing makes me want to move out of Sartell. I'm into inclusivity and living in a welcoming community. This decision shows neither of those qualities.

While I don't live in The Wilds (I am just a radio guy after all), I do leave near a public park where kids- and I know this is hard to believe- act like kids. They even sometimes raise their voices or, even worse, laugh loudly while playing.

The part that really, really bugs me is the $50k price tag to "move" this court. Property taxes in Sartell already seem very high, do we really just have $50,000 to move a court across town to keep the five people with houses surrounding this court happy?

Maybe some of that $50,000 could have been used to finally remove the giant etching of male anatomy on the kids' slide at Fox Run Park that we've been complaining about for almost five years?

I have a better idea: If you want the court moved, you pay for it. Or you can just move yourself to a property far away from the evil kids and their oh-so-awful basketball games.