Ahmed Abdullahi remembers watching from his 14th-floor balcony one morning over the summer as city contractors started dismantling the hoops and digging at the old Vince Carter court in Dixon Park.
“I almost had a heart attack that day,†the 26-year-old Abdullahi said. “Nobody had told us anything at all, and I thought they were going to use this space for something else.â€
This week, he was watching from the sidelines as the fresh purple and red paint dried, his face beaming with excitement as the neighbourhood prepared to resume basketball sessions on a fully refurbished NBA-sized outdoor court.
Abdullahi stopped to admire all of it, from the new lights to the fresh concrete and the words painted around the court that marked Carter’s career as a Raptor: 1998-99 rookie of the year, 2000 slam-dunk champion, Raptors single-season scoring record, Vinsanity.
Vince Carter’s nickname “Vinsanity” is painted on the refurbished basketball court at Dixon Park in ÎÚÑ»´«Ã½.
Gilbert Ngabo“This is such a luxury to have, and it’s so precious for us,†said Abdullahi, who was born and raised in the Dixon Park area and plays regularly there when there’s time, between his day job and a side gig as an Uber driver. “Think about it. (Carter) could have built it anywhere else in the city, but he chose here. We’re very lucky.â€
Set to be officially unveiled Friday — with Carter,ÌýRaptors president Masai Ujiri and city representatives in attendance — the revitalized court is a much-needed focal point for basketball enthusiasts in this densely populated community.
Carter’s Embassy of Hope Foundation built it originally in 2003. The $1-million refurbishing was done by the MLSE Foundation and City of ÎÚÑ»´«Ã½. That investment also included work on two refurbished full courts and two new half-courts at the Dixon Park playground.
It’s all part of the Raptors’ upcoming 30th anniversary season, and marks a continued commitment to projects aimed at empowering youth and communities through basketball.
The court also means a lot to Jesus Nour, a longtime resident of Dixon Park who said he has played on it “pretty much every day†since it opened. When it was first built, he said, it was “like a miracle from heaven.†However, he isn’t a fan of the timing of the refurbishment.Â
“The city screwed us when they started rebuilding it in the summer,†he said. “They should have started, like, in April because now the whole summer is gone. We are insanely underserved in this community.â€
How the former NBA superstar’s dunking, athleticism and grasp of big moments was a unique combination took ÎÚÑ»´«Ã½, Canada and basketball by
According to Nour, the Dixon Park courts are so popular that adults have to stop playing when kids get out of school for the day:  “We need like 10 basketball courts.â€
Carter, who inspired many young Canadian players in seven seasons with the Raptors, will be inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in October. The Raptors recently announced plans to retire his No. 15 jersey in November, making him the first in franchise history to receive that honour.
At Dixon Park, kids will continue to be inspired while dribbling a ball on a Raptors-themed court with a Carter logo in the middle.
“A lot of potential is going to come out of here, for sure,†said Abdullahi. “I hope more stars also do the same in other parts of the city to have a big impact.â€
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