Colin Ulle can鈥檛 wait to make that first basket on the public basketball court he dreamed into reality.

鈥淭he best part will be to shoot on it. My friends are excited to play on it, too,鈥� said Ulle, a Grade 11 Brookswood Secondary student.

鲍濒濒别鈥檚 to put a full-sized outdoor basketball court at the school is becoming a reality, thanks to a lot of hard work on his part and the massive generosity of the Brookswood community.

Around $4,200 was raised at the Artful Dodger on Saturday, May 6. Colin鈥檚 dad, Brian Ulle, organized the burger and beer evening, which included a 50/50 and toonie toss.

鈥淏rookswood is a pretty special community. Proud to be part of it,鈥� said Brian.

A Gofundme page that Colin started had raised $1,655 of its $20,000 goal. But then, an anonymous donor 鈥渟tepped up massively 鈥� getting us over half way to making the court a reality.鈥�

Now they are less than $4,000 away from their goal.

Ulle envisions a full-sized regulation court in an unused area across from the playing fields that is pretty level already.

The idea came to the Grade 11 student back in September.

It was during his spare block, when Ulle 鈥� who plays on the senior boys basketball team 鈥� wanted to go to the gym to shoot some hoops. But with the gym booked for classes, there was no court for him to work on his shot.

It got him thinking, and soon Ulle developed a plan to build a full-sized outdoor basketball court at the school.

鈥淭here are really no outdoor court options in the community, and I just wanted somewhere to play,鈥� he said.

鈥淎nd this would give those in the community somewhere to play.鈥�

There is one outdoor court option at East Brookswood Park, as well as basketball hoops at the various elementary schools in the area.

So those looking to play basketball at a proper court either have to drive elsewhere or pay for drop-in at a community centre.

Jyoti Pawar, 鲍濒濒别鈥檚 coach at Brookswood, agrees the court would be beneficial.

鈥淲e have so many kids who want to shoot hoops,鈥� he said. 鈥淭his court will be used all the time.鈥�

Working with the administration at Brookswood Secondary, 鲍濒濒别鈥檚 plan gained traction and got the necessary approvals.

鈥淔or a Grade 11 kid, it is quite amazing,鈥� said Brookswood vice-principal Jeff Keen.

Colin worked with his dad, a Township firefighter, and they spoke with the owner of Pioneer Paving, a local company.

鈥淚 went to school with the owner鈥檚 daughter so that was a great fit,鈥� said Colin. Because of the large donation they received, they are now going to be able to put on a protective coating that will allow the court to last longer.

He is still working on the costs of the actual hoops, given the quote they had was in American dollars.

Colin is hoping to take that first shot, play that first game of b-ball, at the end of August.

鈥淲e should be able to start work on it by June,鈥� he said.