During an expeditious Nome Common Council meeting Monday night, Council Member Mark Johnson requested an update on the status of Nome’s long-awaited outdoor basketball court.
Nome City Manager, Lee Smith, said preliminary site work was on track for this week and a rendering of the facility was in the works. If approved, construction would begin near the Nome Recreation Center.
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Smith said details like whether the court would be full-sized or a half-court were still undecided.
“We got the space to do it, do we need lights? Do we not need lights? Probably not to start out with,” Smith said. “Rec Center’s on it, so that would be our hope to put up permanent facilities out there this time next year.”
The project’s cost, Smith estimated, would be in the ballpark of $200,000, but he suggested there was room to bring the price down. At that valuation, the city is already half of the way to funding the project after it received a $100,000 board donation from Norton Sound Health Corporation last year. Shaktoolik, Wales, Diomede and Golovin also received $100,000 donations for outdoor basketball courts.
Smith said the city would get creative with funding the rest of the project.
“I think right now I’ve applied for four grants to see if we get some help on cost,” Smith said. “We’re looking for grants to cover the majority of it, and just cross our fingers.”
If grant funding is secured, the city aims to begin construction of the outdoor basketball court in spring 2026.
