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Two shootings led to the removal of the basketball hoops at Madison Park in Lakewood鈥檚 Birdtown neighborhood, but residents are calling the move racist and demanding their return.

Removing the basketball hoops is unfair to those who rely on them for recreational activities, said Lakewood Outdoor Basketball Committee member Casey Davis, particularly as other parts of the park 鈥� like baseball diamonds and soccer fields 鈥� remain open.

鈥淚t鈥檚 very concerning to me that there鈥檚 this consistent negative narrative around the kids and young adults playing basketball,鈥� Davis said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 very concerning to me that we鈥檙e telling these kids, 鈥榊ou鈥檙e not worth it. We鈥檙e taking your sport away. But baseball can go on, and soccer.鈥欌��

Removing the hoops contributes to racial stereotypes, Davis said, implying an association between basketball, the people of color who use the Madison Park courts and gun violence.

鈥淲e鈥檝e tried to be really patient in bringing up the topics of racism and discrimination,鈥� Davis said, 鈥渂ut it鈥檚 kind of hard when you鈥檝e got kids showing up to play basketball and their hoops are down, but they look over and the soccer nets are up and there鈥檚 kids playing soccer.鈥�

The basketball hoops at Madison Park in Lakewood's Birdtown neighborhood were removed following two recent shootings. The rest of the park's facilities are still in use. [Taylor Haggerty / ideastream]

Lakewood residents banded together to encourage people to continue using the courts after the first shooting March 12. Resident Randy Brown created a Facebook group to help combat some of the negative associations with the basketball courts by buoying collaboration and communication.

The group held a meeting Saturday to discuss ways to improve the neighborhood鈥檚 feelings about the courts. City council members showed up to listen to concerns.

But that was before the second shooting and the removal of the hoops. Now, Brown said, the primary concern is to get the hoops back.

鈥淚 really don鈥檛 want it to be any longer than a week. I don鈥檛 really see why it needs to be any longer than it is already. Today鈥檚 a nice, sunny day. They should put them back today,鈥� Brown said. 鈥淭he fear is valid, but the response to the fear can鈥檛 be to take the hoops away. That鈥檚 not right.鈥�

Brown鈥檚 family has used the courts almost daily for the last three years and has never been worried about safety. He and his wife, Mary Brown, want the park to go back to being a safe and enjoyable place. But right now, the concern is how recent events might contribute to prejudice and biases, Mary Brown said.

鈥淚t鈥檚 really difficult. There鈥檚 so many things that this particular bold move on the part of the city and our mayor, so many things that this resonates with. I鈥檓 fearful of that,鈥� Mary Brown said. 鈥淚 live in Lakewood because I love that it鈥檚 diverse and inclusive, and has outdoor amenities.鈥�

As the weather improves, the park becomes more important for kids in Lakewood and nearby, she said.

鈥淔or some kids, this is it. That鈥檚 where they go in the summer,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 don鈥檛 want any kid or adult who comes down to experience any kind of negative stereotyping or bias.鈥�

Lakewood Mayor Meghan George said the city鈥檚 decision to remove the hoops at the request of the police department was not made on the basis of racial stereotypes, though she understands how the move could be interpreted that way.

鈥淭he police department and I both take this matter very seriously,鈥� George said. 鈥淣either one of us wanted to make this very difficult decision to remove the hoops temporarily, but it was in the best interests of public safety.鈥�

The situation is temporary as the police department investigates the shootings, George said, and the city is talking about ways to reduce gun violence and make the park safer, including increased patrols at every park, an additional police officer stationed at Madison Park and the installation of more security cameras around the city. Bringing in security personnel through the parks department is also under consideration.

But alternatives to a police presence, such as having adult residents supervise park activities, would be preferable, the mayor said.

鈥淣one of us want to live in a police state, none of us want to have a police officer permanently at the park,鈥� George said. 鈥淲e have to look at ways that our parks continue to be safe, and this is going to take a community-wide effort.鈥�

Lakewood鈥檚 Division of Youth is also available to provide resources for young residents struggling with mental health or trauma, she said, particularly in light of the shootings. And the city is also asking its Anti-racism Task Force for input on safety policies, she said.

Laura Rodriguez-Carbone, a co-chair of the task force, and city council candidate, said the steps the city has taken so far, including taking away the basketball hoops, have not included input from the people of color who live in Birdtown.

鈥淚 think the removal increases the fear, rather than decreases crime,鈥� she said, calling it a 鈥渒nee-jerk鈥� reaction. 鈥淚n communities of color, we have to deal with these measures being taken without our input.鈥�

But gathering that input is an additional struggle, she said, because people of color living in the area don鈥檛 always feel comfortable taking part in those discussions.

鈥淭hey don鈥檛 necessarily feel comfortable coming out, and don鈥檛 feel comfortable with the structures in place,鈥� Rodriguez-Carbone said. 鈥淭hey don鈥檛 necessarily feel like if they come out, their voices will be incorporated and heard. I think there鈥檚 definitely room for improvement.鈥�

Public officials should be working to engage with and talk to their local communities at times other than the wake of a crime, Rodriguez-Carbone said. Those connections will help to improve conversations if and when crime does occur.

The Lakewood Public Safety Committee will discuss the shootings and the removal of basketball hoops during a 6 p.m. meeting Monday.