Ryan & Rebecca Build a Basketball Court Part 3

Ryan Luckie and I have had an exciting three or so weeks - construction of the basketball court started! The process has been long with much effort on our parts, but the construction has been basically snafu free. We based our standards for the surface on international playground specs for basketball courts with it being an international sized court with NBA measurements regarding the line painting. It should be finished completely next week including the site cleaning and warranty agreement. This has been the biggest financial and comprehensive project I have had in country so far and I'm proud of how Ryan and I have handled the hurdles that have come along away. We still need to get pads for the poles which will have positive HIV prevention messages branded on them as well as having the Artivists/3 in 1 Art Project create a center court drawing with a positive message. Upon completion we will be having an official launch of the court where the Ugandan professional teams will be coming to play while having Voluntary Counseling and Testing (VCT) as well as the mobile MMC van present for circumcision services. The court will be used to promote teaching OVC's about HIV prevention and general health through sports as well as having basketball clinics, girls and boys tournaments, pick-up games and general shenanigans.

Excavation for the court begins

Once the court was excavated the leveling needed to occur

The base layer of dirt needed to be compacted. Once that was done the thick aggregate base could be layed which also needed to be compacted to the best possible tightness (for lack of a better smart sounding engineering word).

Thick aggregate being laid and compacted

This man worked through an unusually hot day in Kayunga for the rainy season starting - mixing the tarmac surface.

Tarmac surface being laid with a 2% slope for water drainage

Compacting tarmac surface

Tarmac done and the pole base supports ready for the poles

Separate cement base supports for the poles

Two pole spring reinforced rim basketball goal - chain link nets to come once they are in stock

Laying the finishing touches on the separate cement base support for the goal posts

Washing the cement stains off the court in preparation for painting the lines

Measuring the three point line from the center line

Lining the court

A very awkward group photo with the engineers and Josh. Now I say awkward because before this photo we had an hour meeting to fix issues Ryan and I had about their construction not following our Requirement of Requirements (scope of building) and then after a stern talk from me the head engineer joyfully asked for a picture. Guess I'm not that scary....

Josh helping mark out the lines :)