New basketball court coming to Dayton’s Bluff Recreation Center on St. Paul’s East Side
For Jason Murphy, who lives across the street from the Dayton’s Bluff Recreation Center, a new outdoor basketball court is an improvement the neighborhood has been waiting for.
“It’s past due,” said Murphy, who has lived in the neighborhood for about 20 years and across from the recreation center for seven years. “I used to play ball inside. We’re due for the outside court.”
Construction began Sept. 29 as part of the city’s 2026 Courts Improvements Project, which will bring a new basketball court to the recreation center at 800 Conway St. The project is funded through the city’s Capital Improvement Budget and the Common Cent sales tax.
The groundbreaking brought together Saint Paul Parks and Recreation staff, community partners and students from Dayton’s Bluff Elementary School to celebrate the upcoming improvements.
Councilmember Cheniqua Johnson, who represents Ward 7, said East Side families have been asking for basketball courts and improvements to the recreation center for some time.
“These investments are about more than just basketball courts,” Johnson said. “They are about creating safe, welcoming spaces where our kids can play, neighbors can come together, and families can build lasting memories for generations to come.”
Johnson said the project is one example of how revenue from the Common Cent sales tax is being used to improve parks and recreation facilities across the city. Saint Paul voters approved the sales tax, which provides a dedicated funding source for such investments, she said.
The project’s primary scope is construction of a new basketball court, with related amenities dependent on available funding.
For Murphy, who lives with six young nieces and nephews, the investment is about more than adding a place to play. He said recreation centers provide young people with places to spend time and stay engaged in their communities.
“Without rec centers in places like that, for teenagers and kids becoming teenagers to go, they end up doing all of the wrong things — everything parents don’t want their kids to do,” Murphy said. “So, rec centers, youth centers are needed. Much needed.”
Young people also had a role in the groundbreaking. Johnson highlighted the participation of Dayton’s Bluff Elementary third graders, saying it was meaningful to hear directly from students about what the improvements would mean to them.
“Our youth deserve to see that their voices matter and that when they speak up about what their neighborhoods need, we listen and take action,” Johnson said.
The project is part of a broader investment in neighborhood recreation spaces, with the goal of creating places where residents of different ages can gather, play and connect. Johnson said she looks forward to seeing the space completed and East Side families using it for years to come.
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