Worcester Common Ground presented a $250,000 request for Community Preservation Act funds to renovate the Fatty Jenkins Cage basketball court, a neighborhood recreational site serving the Pleasant and Piedmont areas.

Anisia Jimenez, community organizer for Worcester Common Ground, told the CPC the project scope includes resurfacing the court, replacing hoops and fencing, improving lighting, and adding a roof structure for shade and weather protection. Jimenez said the organization purchased the court from the city last summer and plans community input sessions to shape design details. She also said the organization intends to apply for additional funding—MassDevelopment’s Transformative Development Initiative and a Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) application—to cover a mural and the roof structure.

Staff noted a recreation restriction in the deed that limits the property’s use to recreation; Jimenez confirmed the court is programmed with local partners, including youth leagues run through neighborhood schools, and expects to continue and expand that programming.

The CPC did not vote on the project at the hearing; the presentation was for questions and public comment.