Terrell Brown played basketball at numerous levels including Division I hoops.

The shot he took to help reinvigorate the basketball courts at Memorial Park will serve as his most memorable buzzer-beater.

Brown, Hillside Connection founder, announced July 8 that the basketball courts at Memorial Park will be refurbished after Brown and Hillside Connection won the Every Court Has A Story contest, an initiative created by Project Backboard.

“Two days before the application was due, we got a notice to submit the proposal,” Brown said. “We submitted the video the day it was due and by the grace of God we got a notification saying we were the winner for the refurbishment project.”

Project Backboard will conduct the refurbishment along with assistance from Five-Star Basketball, Victory Creative Group and JDS Sports.

The Every Court Has A Story contest began in 2023 and Dan Peterson, Project Backboard founder, said the it allows the organization to identify and repair various basketball courts.

“Public parks are one of the main places where communities are fostered, and the outdoor basketball court is usually the heartbeat of the park,” Peterson told NBA.com in June. “It’s a rare place where community members across generations can connect and learn to problem-solve together.”

Repairs and upgrades will begin “soon” and Brown said the restoration should be completed late September.

Renovations will include crack repairs, patch fills, resurfacing, color coating and, if necessary, new backboards and rims.

At the time of the announcement, Brown said he hadn’t received costs for the project, but previous articles highlighting Project Backboard’s work list budgets between $50-$70K.

“They’re paying for the entire refurbishment,” Brown said. “They didn’t give us a budget or anything. They said they were going to take care of everything. This is what Project Backboard (and the) Every Court Has A Story campaign does on a larger scale. They go into inner cities in different states and upgrade these courts. It’s a gift and we’re grateful for it.”

Brown’s work at Memorial Park began in 2017 when he returned from Montana State and noticed Memorial Park lacked its previous luster.

Instead of seeing kids playing basketball, only a glimpse remained of what the courts previously represented.

“There were no hoops up, there were only poles at the park,” Brown said. “At the time, I was working at El Pomar and I’m like, ‘We have to put hoops up here.’ Colorado Trust was a partner and the City of Colorado Springs gave us the go ahead. … It took a lot of worked to get the courts where they are now. But looking at some of the epicenters of basketball like (New York’s) Rucker Park — I’m like, there’s no venue that gets better than this.”

Brown learned of Project Backboard’s work in 2019 from then-friend, now-wife Taylor Manning Brown, who encouraged him to research the organization.

Taylor worked at USA Basketball and said she previously supervised recreation centers and learned of Project Backboard through her work.

“I’ve always had an affinity for bringing really cool art and culture to functional spaces,” Taylor said. “I thought to myself that this would be a cool collaboration and told (Brown) to look into it. It left off there in 2019 but it all came together recently.”

In Brown’s submission video, it acknowledged gun violence that has plagued Memorial Park. The video also indicated changes to the area to create a safer environment.

The city has worked to address the issue and in January 2023, the Colorado Springs Police Department received a grant worth $1,726,331 from the Colorado Division of Criminal Justice, Office of Adult and Juvenile Justice Assistance to improve safety at the park.

City workers completed upgrades in April and money from the grant went toward: installing 19 gates at park access points, adding 10 wireless theft and vandalism-resistant security cameras; installing 181 new or improved lights on roadways, parking lots, and walkways.

With the improvements and soon-to-be completed refurbishment, Brown said he’s excited to help Memorial Park return to its previous glory.

“Everybody and (their) momma used to play on these courts and during the Fourth of July, and these courts used to get a lot of action,” Brown said. “So, I wondered how to add more value and visual appeal to this space. Now we’re starting to see some of those changes.”

Taylor said she’s proud of Brown and is excited from what this means for the city.

“It’s inspiring what Terrell has done in his commitment to being able to make an impact and provide opportunities for kids to use those spaces to grow and for parents to know that they have a safe space that’s fun and functional,” Taylor said. “Yes, it’s a basketball court but that doesn’t mean it’s only a basketball court. It can be a place to play line tag, a gathering spot for family and friends to hang out.

“The new courts and artwork will bring vibrancy to Memorial Park and cultivate a space that brings community together. Being a mom, I’m grateful for spaces like this.”