Cedar Knoll Apartments' basketball court in southwest Charlotte is beginning to be brought back into use after years with missing rims and a backboard. On Monday, volunteers repainted the complex's court and repaired the hoops, beginning work to give residents a place to play without crossing the street.
A Broken Court Begins Getting Fixed
Nine-year-old Zakiyah Garcia, who lives at Cedar Knoll, told Queen City News that residents have had to cross the street to reach a basketball court, a routine she and other kids at the Yorkmount-area complex knew well. Cedar Knoll, located at 304 Green Needles Court, was built in 1979 and has 49 units, according to Apartment Finder. The project brought together the City of Charlotte and The 704 Way, a local nonprofit, in a partnership meant to keep youth engaged, per the station's report.
Volunteers spent the day painting the full court and repairing the hoops, work that will not be finished in a single day, according to the same account. Among those pitching in was Thomas Vinson, who grew up playing on that exact court and returned Monday to cook burgers for the people who showed up to help. Journey Rabon Eddie, a member of The 704 Way's advisory board, was also on hand for the effort, the report notes.
Why Monday, of All Days
The timing was not a coincidence. The refurbishment landed on the International Day of Peace, an observance the United Nations General Assembly first established in 1981 before voting unanimously in 2001 to fix it permanently on September 21 as a day of global ceasefire and non-violence, according to the United Nations. This year's theme, “Invest in Peace: For Everyone, Everywhere, Every Day,” spotlights grassroots volunteers and what the UN calls everyday architects of peace — a framing that lines up neatly with a single-day court repaint powered by neighbors and nonprofit staff rather than a big construction crew.
The 704 Way is a youth-led campaign linked to the City of Charlotte and the CMRignite framework. The organization runs three tiers of youth leadership: Strategic Architects aged 19 to 24 who direct strategy and data, Creative Ambassadors aged 15 to 18 who produce media content, and Next Gen Connectors aged 10 to 14 who map neighborhood assets and connect peers to safe spaces. The organization hosts youth pop-up activations.
City Funding Behind the Push
The court sits at the intersection of grassroots organizing and city budgeting. Charlotte has an Office of Youth Opportunities, and Queen City News reported that the city increased funding for the office by $500,000 this year.
A city spokesperson told the outlet that most of the office's funding is directed toward internships rather than physical spaces such as the Cedar Knoll court. The spokesperson also said more projects are coming, framing the refurbishment as an early step toward creating what organizers call third spaces for area teens. Advocates involved with the effort say youth programming still needs more money so kids have places to play, create and feel safe.
What Youth Funding Supports
Charlotte's broader youth investment includes more than the court project. According to the city's FY 2027 budget engagement survey, the adopted $3.65 billion FY 2026 budget included enhancements supporting youth programs. The measurable reach reported for one recent effort came through programming: WBTV reported that the Office of Youth Opportunities gave 400 young people new experiences during summer 2026 and received more than 1,200 applications.
Those figures show demand for youth opportunities, while the available budget context does not provide a facility-specific total for informal spaces such as basketball courts. That gap helps explain why projects like Cedar Knoll's refurbishment remain significant even as the city expands youth programming.
The Cedar Knoll project also fits into a broader pattern of collaboration between city departments and outside partners on youth services. In December 2025, the Office of Youth Opportunities partnered with Charlotte's Office of Workforce Development to seek strategic partners for workforce training. And in July 2026, My Brother's Keeper Charlotte-Mecklenburg and The 704 Way announced plans for a citywide digital guide and youth activity calendar, according to CLTure, aiming to help teens across the city find accessible, low-cost sports, creative, and outdoor opportunities beyond any single repainted court.
