EDITORIAL: Needed: A place to play ball

A UA plan to put basketball courts on the roof of 1920 Commons is a great idea whose time has come. We write in support of the proposal, which offers a real means of alleviating a long-term problem at a relatively low cost -- perhaps as little as $80,000, according to the UA. It is certainly no secret that Penn is in desperate need of additional recreational space. Plans to rebuild Gimbel on a much larger footprint are certainly a part of the solution. But a 1996 report from an external consultant cited the need for an additional 225,000 in recreational space. A renovated Gimbel would only provide for a fraction of that total. More is needed, particularly in light of plans to build on what little grass remains in Hamilton Village add urgency to the need for recreational space in the area. Even the potential acquisition of lands between the campus and the Schuylkill River would do little to provide close-to-home recreational opportunities for students. Building basketball courts closer to the Hamilton Village dormitories just makes sense. Students need places to play -- always have, always will -- and they need far more of those places than the University currently provides or is planning to provide. We urge administrators to work closely with the Undergraduate Assembly to bring this plan to fruition as soon as possible. Certainly, we are cognizant of the shortage of parking spaces on campus -- an issue of significant concern to many members of the community. But the addition of a parking garage on the corner of 40th and Walnut streets -- scheduled to open this spring -- and the tremendous benefits of outdoor courts to a student body lacking sufficient places to play both make the construction of courts a priority. We hope administrators demonstrate a greater commitment to this issue than they have sometimes shown. Penn's inadequate facilities could not be of greater concern to the student body.