Toronto – The City of Toronto, in collaboration with the National Basketball Association (NBA), Dairy Farmers of Ontario (DFO) and the Canadian non-profit organization Buckets & Borders unveiled the newly restored Don Mount basketball court in Toronto’s Rivertowne community at Joel Weeks Park. Councillor Paula Fletcher (Toronto-Danforth) was joined by representatives from the NBA, DFO and Buckets & Borders to make the announcement.
Designated as the first official Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) themed court in Canada, the court’s surface design features the logos of the WNBA and DFO’s youth lifestyle brand MilkUP. It was created by local Toronto illustrator Fiorella Granda, a former University of Toronto Varsity Women’s Basketball Team member, to celebrate women’s basketball in Canada and around the world.
To celebrate the collaboration and court unveiling, Buckets & Borders hosted an event for fans that featured a basketball clinic for youth in the community, live music from a local DJ and a basketball competition featuring Hoop Queens, a network for Canadian female basketball players.
The revitalization of the Don Mount basketball court has involved the installation of new asphalt, backboards and rims, in addition to the artistically rendered surface. The partners’ generous donation for the public court upgrades was accepted by Toronto City Council in March 2023.
“We are delighted that the first WNBA-themed outdoor court in Canada is here in Toronto. I would like to thank Councillor Paula Fletcher and team, as well as the team from the City and the partners for their work in bringing this breathtaking design to life. It celebrates women’s basketball across the country and reminds us of the pivotal role a Canadian – Dr James Naismith – had in the invention of basketball.” – Mayor Olivia Chow