Rim removals draw flagrant foul call in Lynn

LYNN – City officials removed the basketball hoops at Strawberry Avenue Park to deter thugs from congregating there, after a shooting occurred at nearby Classical High School in May.The move frustrated teens who frequent the park to shoot hoops, and re-opened the wounds of those who lost their court at Henry Avenue Park for similar reasons several years ago.Vowing to get the nets put back up, Kamaya Ray, a member of Part of the Solution, the youth council of the Communities that Care coalition, said the city’s move unfairly punishes the innocent, instead of the gangs police hoped to target.”The police said known gang members are meeting at the parks so they took down the nets, but teens feel that’s not what is really keeping gang members there,” she said. “We work with Straight Ahead, which involves ex-gang members, and if they say that’s not why they’re going there, they should know best about what’s going on.”Ray, 19, a Lynn native and student at Howard University, is working alongside 25 teens committed to making the city a safer place, reducing drug and alcohol abuse, and spurring much needed activities for youth.The group wrote letters to Ward 4 City Councilor Richard Colucci and Ward 5 City Councilor Paula Mackin, Mayor Edward J. Clancy Jr., state Sen. Thomas McGee and state Rep. Steven Walsh for input, but so far, Ray said their mission has been a struggle.”We were told that the Strawberry Ave. incident was only a temporary thing until the city calms down, but the Henry Avenue nets have been harder to discuss,” she said. “So it’s still a work in progress.”Department of Public Works Commissioner Jay J. Fink said the hoop removal was a request by the Lynn Police Department because they had a problem with loitering and other activities happening at the parks.”When the temperatures rise, other activities rise too, so the police asked us to take them down,” he said. “The hoops are there for recreation and not to cause problems.”Ray, however, said it’s crucial the nets be quickly replaced because with the hot summer months in full swing, problems could arise.”Now those kids that usually play basketball at Strawberry or Henry parks are forced to go to another park like Marian Gardens where there might be 100 kids on the court trying to play,” she said. “And that causes overcrowding problems and other conflicts.”While Fink agreed teens could benefit from the hoops, he said he couldn’t authorize the restoration until all parties agreed to it.”I don’t pretend to understand some of the requests we get here (to remove the hoops), but we can’t just come to a conclusion on our own and run out and do this,” he said. “A solution has to be reached and we are currently waiting to hear back from the police.”Fink referenced a situation in which Ward 6 City Councilor Peter Capano was able to work with local teens to put a hoop back up on Bennett Street.”It’s a balancing act and that was an example of success,” he said.Until a resolution is reached at other parks, Ray said the group is gearing up to host another movie night at Fraser Field later this month to keep kids occupied and safely off of the streets.Last year, the first-ever Teen Movie Night was held in Central Square and attracted over 115 people. The event also served as a venue to air several public service announcements produced by Girls Inc. youth.A youth basketball tournament is also in the works for later this summer.