Penn Medicine, 76ers restore community basketball court

The refurbished Roberto Clemente Park in Fairmount, with a freshly repaved court, new backboards and nets, is just the latest highlight of an effort by Penn Medicine and the 76ers to create safe spaces and promote healthy habits to serve the community and Philadelphia at-large.

Penn Medicine and the 76ers entered into a partnership in September 2022 that included a special focus on the community, with an emphasis on promoting physical activity and well-being, as well as neighborhood safety. Court refurbishments like these were seen as a strong opportunity to make advances in those areas.

"I am continually amazed by what can be accomplished for our community when Penn Medicine finds like-minded partners, and our work with the 76ers has been particularly inspiring," says Kevin Mahoney, the chief executive officer of the University of Pennsylvania Health System. "Research from Penn Medicine has shown the many benefits that refurbished and greened spaces bring to neighborhoods and public health overall. The updated park and court reflect our commitment to community and show what's possible when we work together to make a difference."

Efforts such as these at being good neighbors can be critical to community health. Research led by Eugenia South, an associate professor of emergency medicine, has shown that rates of violence and health conditions such as depression and heart disease are negatively impacted when there is a lack of green spaceor urban blight.

Read more at Penn Medicine News.