Hoopbus tours Lorain, evaluates basketball courts for potential renovations

LORAIN — A group from the national nonprofit organization Hoopbus was in Lorain on Wednesday to tour the city, examine several of its basketball courts and meet with city officials. Already distinctive because of the basketball hoops mounted on the front and back, the Hoopbus became even more recognizable recently when it was prominently featured in the "Welcome to NBA Lane" commercial for the league's 75th anniversary. There are actually two buses, one from Los Angeles and another from Chicago. Both visited Lorain on Wednesday and have been in Northeast Ohio because of the NBA All-Star Game activities last weekend. Each of the buses turned heads as they drove through several areas within the city and stopped at Black River Landing for a quick pickup game using their built-in buckets. In addition to attending events in different parts of the country, the Hoopbus organization is known for working with the Project Backboard nonprofit organization and local groups to renovate basketball courts. The renovations include transforming courts "into inspiring works of art," according to their website. "Our real mission is to rebuild, empower and amplify communities through basketball," Executive Director Dan Moroni said. After starting the day at City Hall and visiting with Mayor Jack Bradley and other officials, the buses' route included stops at Streator Park, Samuel L. Felton Jr. Central Park, Oakwood Park and Lost Nation Sports Park West. Moroni said he found the courts in Lorain to be interesting and the community to be vibrant. It is certainly possible Lorain could be the site of a future court renovation, he said. "We kind of use these (visits) as planting a seed, and then keep these in our mind as we come across corporate partners or other people who generally come to us and want to do give-backs to communities," Moroni said. "We'll help connect them with a spot and a story." Hoopbus and Venice Basketball League founder Nick Ansom said the bus is "the community's bus," and the people of Lorain showed a lot of interest Wednesday. "I think we're leaving inspired. The people were amazing, the energy was great," he said. Steele City Youth Football director Ricky Smith rode along on the tour and gave the Hoopbus group some background information about the courts they visited. Smith told them Streator Park was where the legendary basketball players of Lorain's past used to play. At Oakwood Park, the group from Hoopbus met with Lorain City Councilman Rey Carrion, D-6th Ward, on the park's basketball courts. Carrion talked with them about Lorain's history, its parks and recent recreation opportunities that have been made available for residents. The Hoopbus was invited to Lorain by resident Darius Winborn, who co-founded the Grind League community organization and plays music as DJ D*GRIND. "I saw that they do park renovations," he said. "I know that our parks need help, and they need support, and they need activities and they need some style to them." Winborn said there are ongoing discussions about hosting an internet celebrity basketball game in Lorain to help raise money for potential park renovations. After leaving Northeast Ohio, the Hoopbus plans to head south toward the Charlotte, North Carolina, and Atlanta areas before traveling back out west. Contact Dylan Reynolds at (440) 329-7123 or dreynolds@chroniclet.com. Follow him on Twitter @drey1357.