Bed-Stuy's 'Soul In The Hole' Basketball Court Could Win Renovation

BED-STUY, NY — Raymond Bush Playground drew a narrow lead in a competition for a basketball court remodel Monday, bringing the famed court one step closer to a free renovation.

The court, which sits on Marcus Garvey Boulevard between Madison and Monroe streets, led the competition between four courts across the country — all vying for a renovation including crack refill, resurfacing, recoloring and new backboards and rims.

With voting days away from closing, the famed park held nearly a 200-vote lead over a park in Pittsburgh. The Brooklyn park that inspired a documentary had 45.76 percent of the vote Monday afternoon.

"I think I see it as being like a community hub," said Martin Brewer, who owns neighboring vinyl store Black Star Vinyl.

Known around the nation as "Soul in the Hole," the park secured its staying power in a 1997 documentary about American street basketball.

Brewer said there are many things that make Raymond Bush special, including its unique tree-shading, surrounding community convening spaces and strong sense of neighborhood.

"I envision a beautiful park where we can run tournaments," Brewer said in a video for the competition. "There's just so much potential for community building in the park."

If selected, organizers would begin working with city officials to embark on the remodel, completely financed by three basketball-focused organizations: Local Hoops, Project Backboard and Five-Star Basketball.

Barring logistical complications, organizers hope to have the renovation complete in 2023, according to Dan Peterson, Director of Project Backboard.

The Bed-Stuy park sits in the running against a court in Pittsburgh, Kansas City and Jackie Robinson Park in Harlem, which each submitted videos describing the court's community significance. Nearly 20,000 votes had been cast by Monday afternoon.

Jackie Robinson Park trailed in fourth place with only 1.28 percent of the vote.

"Public park basketball courts are by definition public spaces. Places where neighbor and stranger practice coming together to achieve a common goal," organizers with Every Court Has A Story wrote on its website. " Every public park court is homecourt to many, each with their own story."