DATE: Wednesday, October 15, 1997           TAG: 9710150504

SECTION: LOCAL                   PAGE: B9   EDITION: FINAL 

SOURCE: BY TERRI WILLIAMS, STAFF WRITER 

DATELINE: PORTSMOUTH                        LENGTH:   46 lines

BASKETBALL COURT NOT IN PLANS FOR CITY PARK

In the next two to three years, City Park could have a restaurant, a marina and a walking and skating trail.

But there's one amenity it won't get: a basketball court.

During a work session Tuesday, Deputy City Manager C.W. ``Luke'' McCoy presented the City Council with details of a master plan for the park located off Clifford Street and City Park Ave.

McCoy said officials are planning on improving the main entrance to the park, upgrading the tennis courts and including more parking and picnic shelters.

McCoy and other officials said basketball courts, especially lighted ones, can attract the wrong element, such as drug dealers. And they're not taking any chances by including one.

``Unfortunately a lot of violence comes with a court,'' McCoy told Councilman P. Ward Robinett, who made the suggestion for the courts.

This summer, 19-year-old Michael Hedge was shot and killed by a teen following a dispute on a basketball court near the Simonsdale neighborhood.

Mayor James W. Holley III suggested the city also consider adding a carousel, checkers tables, a racquetball court and a cycling trail to the list of offerings. Holley also said he would like to have a public hearing on the matter so the council could solicit citizen input.

McCoy said he and city parks and leisure director L. Pettis Patton will study the matter. The projects will be included in the city's capital improvement plan and would probably take two to three years to fund, said officials.

In other city business, the City Council and the Portsmouth Redevelopment and Housing Authority held a joint public hearing to discuss plans for $3.9 million in Community Development Block Grant funds. The money will be used for redevelopment efforts for the Crawford, Park View, Shea Terrace and Mount Hermon Conservation Plan.

Several citizens said they supported the plans. However, Rev. Antonio Stephenson of New Jerusalem Family Church said his church was trying to acquire additional property at the 1300 block of County Street, which is included in the conservation plan. Vice Mayor Johnny M. Clemons suggested that the church members discuss their concerns during the Vision 2005 meeting on the Effingham Corridor at 10 a.m. Thursday at the Central Fidelity Bank Building at High Street and Crawford Parkway.

The council is to vote on the funds at its next meeting, Oct. 28.

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