Niagara River Lions Return to Local Parks for Second Year of “Mesh Refresh” Initiative

St. Catharines, ON - The Niagara River Lions announced today that their “Mesh Refresh” initiative will be returning to local municipalities across the Niagara Region for its second year. Members of the River Lions team along with representatives from the City of Thorold and City of St. Catharines will visit outdoor basketball courts to install and/or replace mesh basketball netting on July 26th and 27th. 

“Our team is excited to re-launch this initiative for the second summer in a row,” said Michelle Biskup, Vice President of Operations for the River Lions. “Replacing or adding a mesh on a basketball rim is such a small task, yet it makes a big difference, so we are proud to dedicate time towards enhancing the playing experience at parks across the Region.”

As Canadian basketball continues to grow, the River Lions recognize the importance of giving back to the community and providing opportunities for youth to engage with the sport. Since many of the selected parks currently have no mesh on the rim, installing or replacing mesh will improve the overall playing experience. The "Mesh Refresh" initiative aligns with the team's commitment to fostering a vibrant basketball culture, ensuring accessible and quality playing environments for athletes, and encouraging the growth of basketball at all levels. 

Each municipality's Parks and Recreation Department assisted in identifying which parks would receive the new Spalding meshes. Local residents are encouraged to come out and join River Lions players at the following parks on the specified date and times*:

Thorold - July 26th

1:00pm - South Confederation Park - 159 Confederation Avenue, Thorold, ON

1:45pm -  Village of Beaverdams Village Park -  Kaye Ave, Thorold, ON

“On behalf of City Council, I’d like to thank the Niagara River Lions for generously donating new mesh basketball netting at South Confederation Park and Beaverdams Village Park in the City of Thorold. Partnerships like this play a crucial role in strengthening and enhancing our Community. We hope to inspire our youth and residents of all ages to show off their basketball skills and help break in the new nets!” - Mayor Terry Ugulini

St. Catharines - July 27th 

2:00pm - Barley Drive Park -  10 Barley Dr, St. Catharines, ON 

2:30pm - Glengarry Park -  63 Glengarry Rd, St. Catharines, ON 

3:00pm - Partridge Park - 22 Rockcliffe Rd, St. Catharines, ON 

“The City of St. Catharines welcomes partnerships that enhance our recreational facilities for the benefit of our community. This partnership with the River Lions is a fantastic opportunity to spruce up the nets at Barley Drive Park, Glengarry Park and Partridge Park, while at the same time inspiring the youth in our community to get active and improve their basketball skills.” - Mayor Mat Siscoe, City of St. Catharines

*Please note times are approximate. 

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Media Contact:

Michelle Biskup, Vice President, Operations 

mbiskup@riverlions.ca