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Sea Bears, Payworks, Regina Nonprofit Plan Osborne Village Holiday Court Day – Winnipeg Free Press

Posted on by Neons

It's a very compelling lawsuit, especially for basketball fans in Osborne Village.

The Winnipeg Sea Bears pro hoops club, local payroll firm Payworks and Regina non-profit Buckets & Borders are teaming up for “Project Mayfair” — installing a new basketball court and completely renovating their River Avenue corner bar. Donald Street.

A yet-to-be-selected local artist will paint a mural on one of the courts near the Mayfair Leisure Centre.

MIKE SUDOMA / FREE PRESS A new basketball court — along with rehabilitation of an existing court — will be installed at the corner of River Avenue and Donald Street.

MIKE SUDOMA / FREE PRESS

A new basketball court will be installed at the corner of River Avenue and Donald Street along with the rehabilitation of the existing court.

The project is expected to be completed on July 5, with a grand opening scheduled for two days later.

Sea Bears president Jason Smith said the Canadian Elite Basketball League club is showing the team's commitment to the community by donating $75,000 to the project.

“It's important to us to be good Winnipeggers, good corporate citizens and to be able to take some of the success we've had and help improve the community space for basketball and access for kids,” Smith said Friday.

“(The) Buckets & Borders does all of those things and does them well, so it's a perfect fit for us.”

Smith said the Sea Bears, which had their first season last year, plan to forge a long-term partnership with the nonprofit, which restores and builds new courts around the world.

Last year, he partnered with local artist Jordan Stranger to repair and paint a community court wall in St. John's Park, northeast of Winnipeg.

The Sea Bears drew record attendance last year, and the number of season ticket holders has grown to more than 2,000 ahead of the team's sophomore season, which begins May 22, Smith said.

More than 5,000 tickets have been sold for the May 24 open house at the Canada Life Centre.