Cleveland – Today, the Cleveland Cavaliers and City of Cleveland unveiled a newly refurbished basketball court at Woodland Recreation Center. The court transformation marks their 16th refurbishment since 2018 and advances their shared commitment to youth wellness, recreation and community investment in Northeast Ohio.
The Woodland Recreation Center renovations include a fully redesigned, repainted and refinished basketball court. This will create a positive environment for basketball and other opportunities for staff, youth and community members to gather.
"Each recreation center refurbished by the City of Cleveland and Cavs symbolizes breaking barriers on the basketball court and also embodies the heartbeat of the community,” said Nic Barlage, Cleveland Cavaliers and Rocket Entertainment Group. “We aim to ensure that these courts are exceptional, providing community members with the experiences they deserve. We're not just investing in brick and mortar; we're investing in programming that fosters positive outcomes and opportunities for all the communities we serve."
Barlage was joined by Ward 4 Councilwoman Deborah Gray, Chief Sonya Pryor-Jones, City of Cleveland Chief of Youth and Family Success and Elijah Johnson, Woodland Neighborhood Resource and Recreation Center Site Manager, who offered encouraging words to the youth and residents in attendance. Following the ribbon cutting, there was a Cavs Youth Basketball clinic and a dance clinic with the Cavaliers Dance Team.
Woodland Recreation Center is located at 9206 Woodland Avenue and features a weight room, game room, gym, indoor track and an indoor pool. This community asset has served as a hub for over 60 years and plays a central role in the social and physical well-being of the community. Woodland offers various programs for youth starting at the age of 4, such as health and wellness, educational and performing arts. The recreation center also offers programming for seniors.
To date, the Cavs have helped to renovate 16 total city-run Neighborhood Resource and Recreation Centers, including Woodland, Fairfax, Collinwood, Gunning Park, Lonnie Burten, Cudell, Earl B. Turner, Estabrook, Glenville, Sterling, Thurgood Marshall, Clark, Cory, Michael Zone, Zelma George, and Kovacic.