QUINCY - Quincy is examining where to place new basketball courts.

Councilmember Jeremy McCreary asked the council to reconsider plans to build a new basketball court at Lauzier Park. 

The council approved advertising for bids for the project during a past council meeting.

"I think we're probably right on when we're talking about basketball courts, about getting new ones," McCreary said. "The location of them, I don't know if it's the right idea to put them into a destination park instead of a neighborhood park."

McCreary said he took his brother and friends to a basketball court, so they could play. When he dropped them off at one park, 15 to 20 people were waiting to use the courts.

"OK, I'll take them to East Park. (I) take them to East Park, (it's) totally full, and I drop them off," he said. "So I'm thinking, I'll come back and pick them up in two hours. They take off two blocks down the road to somebody's house ... Putting new basketball courts almost a mile out of town almost seems like a waste of money."

If the courts are in Lauzier Park, McCreary said they will probably be used, but they're more likely to be used more if they're in a neighborhood park.

"The best way to fight a gang problem is by preventing gangs," he said. "Even if it keeps five kids from joining a gang, it pays in the long run."

Councilmember Scott Lybbert agreed with McCreary, saying the decision to place the court in Lauzier Park bothered him.

Mayor Jim Hemberry said the council did have the option of building more courts in the neighborhood parks and at Lauzier Park.

"One of the reasons they're trying to get things done at Lauzier Park (is) partly because we have Lauzier grants that we got," he said. "We could do it next year, but if we're going to do it next year, we might as well do it this year and do it all at once and probably get a little better deal."

Hemberry said his problem is when too many items are in neighborhood parks, they aren't neighborhood parks anymore. 

"So that's why I've always felt like the major activities would take place at Lauzier Park and East Park, but I don't disagree with Jeremy's assessment," he said. "If they're that well used, it's probably a good idea."

Police Chief Richard Ackerman suggested if the city planned on expanding the courts at the neighborhood parks, the city might want to add lighting.

"So the kids could play a little into the night and, again, it keeps them busy," he said. "Again, (it gives) good visibility for law enforcement to see what's going on out there."

Councilmember Travis Wittman said the lighting would be more effective in the neighborhood parks.

The council decided to ask staff to come up with an estimate on the cost of adding basketball courts.