The Milwaukee Bucks Foundation, Colectivo Coffee Roasters, Milwaukee Parks Foundation and Chris and Jennifer Abele have restored 22 basketball courts in 11 Milwaukee County Parks. Both full and half courts were repainted in the largest basketball court restoration project in Milwaukee County in decades.
The courts were chosen based on maintenance needs, along with courts that ranked higher on Milwaukee County’s racial equity index to ensure the greatest equity impact possible.
To help fund projects in the local community, the Bucks and Colectivo teamed up last season with the Bucks in 6 Blend Coffee. The Milwaukee Bucks Foundation received a donation of $1 per bag sold from the blend, totaling over $26,000. In addition, former Milwaukee County Executive Chris Abele and his wife Jennifer Abele matched the donation for a total of over $50,000.
"Milwaukee Parks Foundation is excited about the investment from the Milwaukee Bucks, Colectivo and Chris and Jennifer Abele, dedicated to one of the most well-loved amenities in our Milwaukee County Parks system: basketball courts,” said Milwaukee Parks Foundation Executive Director Rebecca Stoner. “This investment ensures that all of us have access to improved spaces to come together in a healthy way, especially in parks that have seen historic disinvestment.”
“It’s important for us to be able to provide quality courts for Milwaukee residents,” said Arvind Gopalratnam, Executive Director of the Milwaukee Bucks Foundation. “We are fortunate to be able to refresh 11 parks in collaboration with Colectivo through the Bucks in 6 Blend sales. Thank you to Colectivo for their support on this project and Chris and Jennifer Abele for being inspired to match the funds.”
"We're so happy to combine two of our favorite things, Colectivo Coffee and Bucks Basketball to benefit our community," said Megan Suardini, Vice President, Branding, Marketing & E-Commerce at Colectivo. "From launching this partnership with the Bucks to seeing our customers get behind it by purchasing the Bucks in 6 coffee, it's rewarding to see it all come together with this meaningful donation to improve neighborhood courts for the youth in Milwaukee with the help of the Bucks Foundation"
The project is being completed in two phases. Phase one, which was completed in 2022, includes the restoration of 22 basketball courts in 11 Milwaukee County Parks and the replacement of bleachers at the Dr. King Community Center in King Park. Basketball court restorations, which were completed in early fall, included both full and half courts being repainted with full striping, along with new nets and a painted “Bucks in 6” image added to the jump court. More courts will be restored in 2023 for phase two of the project.
The full list of parks and number of courts repainted at each park are below.
- King Park – two full courts
- Kosciuszko Park – one half court
- Madison Park – two full courts
- Atkinson Triangle Park – two full courts (before and after photos available for download here)
- Carver Park – two full courts
- Zablocki Park – one full court
- Berrien Park – two half courts
- Mitchell Park – four half courts
- Doyne Park – one full court, two half courts
- Holler Park – one full court
- Popuch Park – two half courts