Sparkling Ice to build new basketball court at popular Port Arthur park

Thanks to Talking Rain Beverage Company, the maker of Sparkling Ice beverages, Port Arthur residents will soon have access to a brand-new basketball court and play area built at Bryan Park, better known in the community as 503. The project is part of the Sparkling Ice Cheers to You Beautification Program, aimed at “spread(ing) sparkle and cheer during difficult times.”

Port Arthur Parks and Recreation Director Chandra Alpough says she welcomes the new addition to the sports-loving community, which has seen more than its fair share of difficulties in the last several years.

“We’re so grateful and appreciative for coming in contact with Sparkling Ice and for them to do something like this for the city of Port Arthur,” said Alpough. “We’ve been inundated with so many storms, hurricanes, floods… Everybody needs an uplift. The whole city needs something to look forward to, a place we can go. The pandemic has forced people outside, so having them refurbish a park is very helpful to the community.

“Bryan Park is right there on one of the major thoroughfares of the city, a street where if you come into Port Arthur, you will travel on that street. So, just to have an uplift to that area is extremely important.”

As parks and rec director, Alpough loves to see people getting outdoors and living more healthy lifestyles that include exercise, like basketball, arguably one of the most popular sports in the nation. Basketball, football and track teams from the local school district are competitive across the state and Port Arthur has been home to quite a few sports standouts, some of whom have represented the United States all across the globe, she shared.

“We’re a town full of athletes. We have athletes from every realm, from those in the Olympics to basketball,” Alpough described. “Mentioning basketball, we are the hometown of Kenneth Lofton Jr., who has been recognized for his skill in basketball.”

Kenneth Lofton Jr. graduated from Memorial High School in 2020 and plays college basketball for Louisiana Tech. He was also one of the players representing the United States at the 2021 FIBA Under-19 World Cup in Latvia, helping his team win the final against France to become world champions.

“Basketball is one of the main sports here, and that’s where it starts: either at the recreation center or outside at one of the basketball courts,” said Alpough, who hopes the new court will get folks of all ages outside and off the couch. “We like to focus on outdoor fitness: getting people outside just so they can enjoy what we have to offer. When we were growing up, we could never be inside all day. Technology has pushed us inside, but now our focus has shifted from being inside to having everyone go outside to enjoy the beautiful parks that we have.”

“When you think about the places where people congregate in small towns, it’s usually a park or recreational area. At Talking Rain, we aim to bring people together, and what better way is there to encourage togetherness after a year of hardship than elevating meaningful parts of the community,” said Chris Hall, CEO of Talking Rain. “Giving back is in our DNA and we are thrilled to bring our beautification program to this deserving town.”

The beautification project in Port Arthur will include installing the new basketball court, inclusive of a fresh overlay, surfacing, hoops and rims for kids and adults to enjoy for many years to come. Additionally, Sparkling Ice is upgrading the surrounding play area with a new set of swings, picnic tables and benches for the local community.

“Currently at the park there is walking space and some swings and a playground system, but a lot of the stuff is extremely outdated. So, in getting geared up for this project, we removed some items to make space for the wonderful amenities we will be getting from it,” Alpough explained.

The inaugural Sparkling Ice Cheers to You Town Beautification Program launched in 2020. Now in its second year, the brand’s goal is to execute community-driven programs that “engage consumers and create feel-good moments of positivity and celebration for unique towns.” For the 2021 Beautification program, the brand sought out three new unique towns across America whose parks and recreational areas were in need of refurbishing, rebuilding or enhancements. Besides Port Arthur, this year’s program will also benefit parks and rec areas in Biloxi, Mississippi, and in Lumberton, North Carolina. For more information on Sparkling Ice and the Cheers to You Beautification Program, please visit: https://www.sparklingice.com/cheerstoyou/. To learn more about Sparkling Ice, visit www.sparklingice.com.

Alpough said she is pleased Sparkling Ice chose Port Arthur for the project, which she reminds the community is at “503” park.

“This is a highly utilized park, but if you say Bryan Park, most of the community wouldn’t know what you’re talking about because we call it 503,” she shared. “Bryan Park is the official name of the park that those of us from here call it 503 because of the train (engine) that sits there, the Kansas City Southern No. 503, that has been there forever. It sits in front of the park.”

Construction plans for Port Arthur begin this summer and are expected to be completed by fall 2021, Sparkling Ice reports, so plan to visit the park soon. If you get lost, just look for KCS Engine 503.