Whereas Hoops

And we’re back! Returning from hiatus, the Whereas Hoops podcast speaks with Larry Zarin, longtime St. Louisan, retired former Chief Marketing Officer at Express Scripts, and founder of "The Layup Line," the group that proved instrumental in fundraising and gathering support for the installation of basketball hoops in Forest Park. Thanks in large part to the efforts of Larry and the other members of "The Layup Line," the ground has been broken and hoops are on their way! The basketball facilities should open to the public sometime in Spring 2024. Noah and Larry talk about what the new facilities will look like, what sort of events might take place there, and the story of Nick Booker, the young St. Louisan in whose memory the courts will be dedicated.

Link in bio. 🙏 Larry!

Groundbreaking announced for the Nicholas J. Booker Courts in Forest Park: Tuesday, Nov. 7 at 3pm! Link in bio for additional details. 🏀🌳🌻🎉

Step 9 is here (!!!), which means this time next year STL could be hoopin’ 🏀 in Forest Park!

On Thursday, the Forest Park Advisory Board will convene to review the final design for the new basketball courts being built in Forest Park. Pending approval, construction is anticipated to begin within the next two months.

Whereas Hoops will be attending to express our support of the final design, which includes 2 full courts, 2 half courts, energy efficient lights, a shade structure, drinking fountains, benches and picnic tables. These and other details can be viewed online in the “Forest Park Advisory Board, Step 9 Presentation” put together by (link in bio).

We will also be handing out updated versions of the accordion book we made last summer that advocates for a vibrant mural to be painted on the courts. The booklet features work by , , , (with the artist collective ), , and .

Have you heard? Tower Grove Park has broken ground on their project to install new basketball hoops! (See today’s Post-Dispatch article - link in bio.)

We at Whereas Hoops welcome the restoration of basketball to one of St. Louis’s great outdoor spaces, and look forward to the day when Forest Park does the same. Before that happens, the Forest Park Advisory Board will meet on September 21 to discuss the latest developments (Step 9 of the Project Approval Process). We will keep you posted on all the latest developments!