Youth Basketball Clinics
C IT Y O F MC KE ES POR T NE WS
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Spray Park
With hundreds of area
children eager to cool
themselves in the summer
sun, the Renzie Spray Ground
opened on June 13. This
interactive water park, located
between the children’s play area
and senior center, is a splash pad
decorated with larger-than-life
tigers and other spray features.
“A lot of children have been
waiting a long time for this day,”
Mayor Michael Cherepko said.
“This spray park has been under construction for quite a
while, but you’ll find it was worth the wait. Today, we are here
to have fun as we celebrate this great addition to Renzie Park.”
Budgeted with the city’s 2015 capital allotment from the
Allegheny Regional Asset District in the amount of $100,000,
the city was able to convert the park’s former wading pool
to the new spray ground. Unlike swimming or wading pools,
aquatic playgrounds have no standing water. Because of the
flat surface setup of an aquatic playground, there are lesser
installation and maintenance costs when managing aquatic
playgrounds.
Also, because there is no standing water, there is no need
for lifeguards. The grounds are enclosed by fencing that
leaves a grassy area for parents and guardians to relax and set
up towels or lawn chairs while their children play.
During the grand opening celebration, children played
in the spray ground, ate lunch with their friends thanks to
a sponsorship by the McKeesport Healthier Communities
PartnerSHIP, played games organized by AIU Family Center
and McKeesport First Steps Parenting Program, and danced
to music provided by DJ Destruk.
The City of McKeesport
partnered with McKeesport
Area varsity basketball coach
Gerald Grayson for a sixweek series of instructional
basketball clinic for middle
school-aged students. Kids
learned new hoop skills and
perfected their techniques.
With a handful of boys and girls participating each week,
Mayor Michael Cherepko said he was proud to show off the
city’s newly renovated courts behind the Renzie Park fire
station. Funded with an Allegheny Regional Asset District
allotment, Cherepko said the funds were put to good use.
“This court appeals to all ages,” Cherepko said. “You
have young adults playing here on a daily basis, and these
instructional clinics allowed us to reach out to local youth,
giving them a productive, athletic opportunity during the
summer months.”
Cherepko said the partnership with coach Grayson is one of
many to come in future seasons.
“We have a mayor who is very supportive of t