New Hawks community basketball courts at Center of Hope at Coan Park

A new basketball court funded by the Atlanta Hawks Foundation and Verizon was recently unveiled at the Center of Hope at Coan Park. CONTRIBUTED

A new basketball court funded by the Atlanta Hawks Foundation and Verizon was recently unveiled at the Center of Hope at Coan Park. CONTRIBUTED

Two new Atlanta Hawks community basketball courts were unveiled recently at the Center of Hope at Coan Park. Funded by the Atlanta Hawks Foundation and Verizon, the Coan Park full outdoor basketball court and adjacent wheelchair accessible basketball court features the Atlanta Hawks logo and colors.

“Investing in the young people of Atlanta to help them realize their full potential is a moral imperative. Atlanta’s business and philanthropic communities have played an essential role in helping the city of Atlanta re-open recreation centers and transform many of them into state-of-the-art, comprehensive facilities.” said Mayor Kasim Reed. “Without these vital collaborations, we would not be able to offer first-class amenities such as this basketball court to the next generation of leaders.”

The Coan Park basketball courts mark the fourth renovation project completed by the Atlanta Hawks Foundation in collaboration with the Department of Parks and Recreation. Grant Park, Bessie Branham Park and William Walker basketball courts were revamped into Atlanta Hawks-themed courts over the last two years.

“We are excited to continue our work with the City of Atlanta toward a shared goal of improving communities throughout this great city,” said Steve Koonin, Chief Executive Officer for the Atlanta Hawks. “Today’s ceremony at Coan Park helped us build yet another bridge to Atlanta through the game of basketball.”

The Center of Hope at Coan Park provides inclusive therapeutic recreation services to children ages five to 17 with mild to moderate physical and intellectual disabilities. In 2014, the Center of Hope at Coan Park was awarded the Phoenix Award by Blaze Sports America, now known as the BlazeSports Triumph of the Human Spirit Award.