Hoop dreams and more realized in Belmont Park

Three-year-old Oliver Forbes (foreground) and his sister, two-year-old Abigail Forbes get ready for some roundball action on the newly refurbished basketball court. Photo Credit Lt(N) Melanie Weaver

Three-year-old Oliver Forbes (foreground) and his sister, two-year-old Abigail Forbes get ready for some roundball action on the newly refurbished basketball court. Photo Credit Lt(N) Melanie Weaver

Peter Mallett, Staff Writer ~

A donation by a Langford Canadian Tire’s Jumpstart program was a game-changing final slam dunk for a neighbourhood improvement project in Belmont Park.

A few residents decided to tackle cleaning up areas of the military housing community during the pandemic, including an abandoned play area located at the end of Belmont Park Road that had remnants of a basketball hoop and backboard. 

“I was out on a walk with my children on a nice sunny day in April and my three-year-old son pointed to the old, dilapidated backboard,” said Lt(N) Melanie Weaver. “We hadn’t noticed it before as the whole court was shrouded and covered in weeds and debris. We decided it needed some love and attention.”

Following physical distancing protocol, residents, armed with brooms, pruning sheers, shovels, a pressure washer, and rakes, joined Lt(N) Weaver and her husband LCdr John Forbes in beautifying the area. Canadian Forces Housing Agency arranged for the disposal of the garbage and brush.

A call to the Langford Canadian Tire resulted in a new hoop and backboard donation.

“It feels great to come together on a project like this,” said Lt(N) Weaver. “With people being so isolated during the COVID-19 pandemic, we tried to build up a sense of community. Our dream couldn’t have been fully realized without the help and quick response of CFHA and Real Property Operations (RPOps) staff and Canadian Tire’s Jumpstart.”

Canadian Tire’s Jumpstart is a non-profit that gives children access to sport and play through the funding of sports and activity programs.

Mark Barsanti, Langford Canadian Tire store No. 366 owner, says his store takes great pleasure in helping out communities, and he was more than happy to help the residents of Belmont Park. 

“When Ms. Weaver approached us about helping revitalize the park at CFB Esquimalt we knew this was a perfect fit for us,” said Barsanti.  “The military and their families support us in so many ways; supporting this effort was just a small gesture to express our appreciation.”

MCpl James Burris and Cpl David Wilcox, from the Pacific Naval Construction Troop of RPOps, installed the new basketball backboard and hoop, and finalized the project by pressure washing and painting lines on the court.

Residents have now turned their attention to park benches in the community, cleaning up play grounds, and sprucing up the grounds and exterior of Belmont Park’s two churches, Our Lady Star of the Sea and St. Peter’s Naval Church. They have pressure washed the exterior of St. Peter’s Church, and weeded, mulched and planted new flowers, removed moss from the pavement, and even cleaned windows. They will do the same for Our Lady Star of the Sea. Lt(N) Weaver plans on hanging flower baskets at the entry of each church to welcome people back.

“These projects have helped my family and many others cope and adjust, and stay in the green on the [CAF] Mental Health continuum during this pandemic. Staying in the green extends over all aspects of our lives, our family, and our community, and more importantly, while COVID-19 may be contagious, so is positivity.”

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