Goalrilla Partners with Project Backboard to Renovate Chickasaw Heritage Park in Memphis

We’re excited to share a recent project that reflects our commitment to spreading the love of basketball to everyone. In partnership with Project Backboard, Goalrilla has donated two 72" Fixed Height in-ground basketball hoops featuring perforated steel backboards to Chickasaw Heritage Park home to the only public basketball court in the French Fort neighborhood of Memphis, Tennessee.  

Just a short distance from Downtown Memphis, French Fort is a small but vibrant neighborhood with a powerful history and strong community ties. Developed in the mid-20th century using federal funds, it stands out in Memphis’ housing history for being one of the first subdivisions to explicitly prohibit racial restrictions in home ownership. At a time when opportunities for African-American families to purchase new homes were extremely limited, French Fort became a rare and meaningful exception. Many of the families who moved there decades ago still live in the neighborhood today, maintaining a deep connection to the community and its shared spaces.

One of the most important of those shared spaces is Chickasaw Heritage Park, located at 305-315 Metal Museum Drive. While known for its scenic views and historical significance, the park also hosts a popular basketball court that serves as a gathering place for residents of all ages. For years, this court has been a hub for recreation, community connection, and the simple love of the game. It’s more than just a place to play it’s a place where friendships are built, youth stay active, and families spend time together.

When we learned about the opportunity to support a court renovation in this historic neighborhood by donating our Goalrilla basketball hoops, we were all in. The court at Chickasaw Heritage Park is heavily used and deeply loved, so it needed equipment that could stand up to that level of activity. Our Goalrilla perforated steel backboards are designed specifically for durability, safety, and long-lasting performance in public environments making them a perfect fit for the French Fort community’s only basketball court.

We were proud to collaborate with Project Backboard, an organization dedicated to revitalizing public courts with art and quality equipment to inspire inclusive, active communities. Dan Peterson, Director of Project Backboard, shared this about the project:

"Goalrilla's Perforated Steel Backboard and goal system completely transformed the court at Chickasaw Heritage Park and elevated the entire project to another level. Project Backboard is grateful for Goalrilla's support of our work, and the Goalrilla goal systems have helped us create safe and inviting public spaces for communities to gather and play basketball. We look forward to continuing our partnership with Goalrilla!"

Adding a powerful layer of creativity and culture to the project was celebrated artist Nina Chanel Abney, who returned to collaborate with Project Backboard a decade after their first public outdoor basketball court art commission together. Her new site-specific court design at Chickasaw Heritage Park brings vibrant colors and bold shapes to the surface, transforming the court into both a place to play and a living piece of public art. Abney’s work explores themes of race, gender, and politics through her unique visual language making her contribution to this project deeply meaningful and culturally resonant. Her installation celebrates the community’s spirit and the importance of preserving public spaces for joy, connection, and self-expression.

The basketball system installed at the park includes Goalrilla's regulation size 72" x 42" perforated steel backboards paired with the heavy-duty Goalrilla 180 Breakaway Rim. Designed for commercial or residential use, this hoop features a 5' overhang and stands at a full height of 152", providing the strength and reliability needed for high-use environments. The complete set includes a J-Bolt anchoring system, pole pad, and backboard padding backed by a limited lifetime warranty to ensure long-term performance. The perforated steel backboards are especially ideal for public settings offering a durable alternative to glass.

We believe that high-quality, accessible basketball courts can make a real impact not just by encouraging physical activity, but by strengthening neighborhoods and creating positive spaces for play. We’re honored to play a part in that mission, and we’re inspired by the people of French Fort who continue to make this community such a special place.

This is just the beginning. We look forward to sharing more future collaborations aimed at making basketball accessible for all and keep athletes dreaming big. Learn more about Project Backboard here. Shop all Goalrilla products here!