BERLIN, Md.- The town of Berlin will discuss what time the lights at Henry Park basketball courts should go out during a mayor and council meeting on Monday January 9th. The stadium-grade lights were installed to allow people to play basketball well past sunset. Now that the lights are up, the town has to figure out how long they want people out on it's courts. Berlin mayor Zack Tyndall says the town is surveying neighbors to hear what they have in mind.
"So that's the big key, we are a park surrounded by a residential community so we want to be cognizant of that. So we've sent out surveys to those residents and we hope to get feedback from those who would be directly impacted," said Tyndall. "The impact of having the lighting project is huge year round but it really makes an impact this time of year when the sun is setting before 5 pm. Students are often getting home from school around the time that it is also getting dark so having those extra few hours to come out and play and enjoy the basketball courts."
Neighbor Quandemura Oliver Sr. says for some kids, these courts are a game changer.
"These kids that are out here now, they watch for years the older kids, as they move on and it's just the NBA everyone thinks they are an NBA player but the main thing is it keeps kids out of trouble. That is the main thing for me... keeping them out of trouble," said Oliver.
Neighbor Latorria Vann agrees.
"So this is all we have. Unlike other places, we don't have boys and girls clubs, we don't have YMCA's, we don't have that type of thing. So this is what we have. When you're limited you have to use whatever you can use," said Vann.
WBOC spoke with some teenagers on the court who said they felt like 10 p.m. would be a good time to turn out the lights. Vann suggests an earlier time.
"I think by 8, I'll say I think the lights should go off at 8, and people should, kids should start leaving around 7, 7:30. Summertime, you know maybe a little later. But not that much later," said Vann.
The town will hold a public hearing on January 23rd and then the council will vote on a time.