@PLAY Backboards
In 2018, Art x Love’s @PLAY Akron team identified the backboards in the Summit Lake neighborhood’s Open M Park as being in need of repair. This once celebrated park had fallen into disrepair, and despite the awful conditions of the basketball court, it was clear that residents still wanted to and made frequent use of it.
Kevin Richards, an @PLAY team member, led the redesign of the backboards with a focus on vibrant colors and a strong geometric pattern. Mac Love painted the backboards, finished them with an anti-graffiti coating, and installed them with help from Wood Thomas, a local handyman and woodworker.
The new @PLAY backboards at Open M Park were embraced by the community and have been used extensively. It’s a beautiful thing to walk down the street and hear families playing and laughing on the court. They also make for a beautiful sunset backdrop.
