If you’ve been on one of the basketball courts across the City’s community centers lately, you might have noticed they’re looking a little spruced up. For designer Terrell Mack, supporting this Parks and Rec project has been a major full circle moment.  

Mack is the designer behind four City courts—including Humphrey Calder, Bellemeade, and two at Southside Community Center—with a few more on the way. These projects are especially meaningful to him because he grew up playing on many of these courts.  

“I grew up playing at Powhatan Community Center in the East End,” he says, “but we played games at some of the courts I’ve done now. I remember winning a playoff game at Bellemeade in like 7th grade.”  

The Parks and Rec Department has spent the past few years redesigning courts one by one. Mack, a designer for the City’s Strategic Communications team, was approached to step in for the third court in the series.  

For each court, center Directors work with their staff and visitors to brainstorm a theme and direction that feels true to the space; a lot of community centers already have their own mascots!

Equipped with those ideas, Mack produces a draft with the center’s mascot, colors, and even some gradient shading along the court. His favorite so far is the elaborate, Gotham City-inspired, Richmond cityscape that now adorns the big court at Southside, complete with a duck mascot at the center.  

The Southside courts also hold a special memory for Mack; the smaller court is where he watched his oldest son, Jayce, step onto a court he’d designed.  

“I don’t even know the words. It was just surreal, knowing the process and all the work and the different hands that played a part in getting that done, and now here we are with our team in a championship game. We got to celebrate on it and take pictures on it. It was a great experience.” 

And Mack says the value of these courts extend far beyond his own son. “It’s amazing that these kids are getting to play on great basketball courts—great rims, good flooring, great crowds, good seating, good lighting. The City really pours into these facilities. We've had them in Richmond forever, and it was time for renovations. For these kids to be able to have state of the art facilities to go to for free in walking distance—it's the most fun part of their day and they’re learning life lessons about teamwork.”  

Mack invites everyone to come check out the new courts. Whether you’re looking to enroll a youth in a league or you’re a senior eager to pick a sport back up, there’s an activity for you at Richmond’s community centers! Find the full list at the Parks and Rec Program Guide .