Campaign promises will be met as plans are finalized for outdoor basketball hoops on campus.

Plans are in the works now for the arrival of long-awaited outdoor basketball courts as promised by Student Association President Robert McCormack.

SA Recreation Adviser Jodie English said the basketball courts are expected to be ready for use by the fall semester.

“The project got started when the fraternities came to me wanting to know why there were no outdoor hoops,” English said.

English said there is no real reason why the idea hasn’t been acted on before. She said past SARC advisers were busy working on other projects.

The courts will be located west of the tennis courts near Stevenson Towers South, English said.

This space has been used for overflow parking at NIU football games in the past, English said. However, parking still will be available on the basketball courts during crowded football games if there is a need, English said.

There will be two long courts and four short ones, English said. The layout of the courts is similar to those at other universities and parks, she said.

All materials for the construction of the courts are being donated, English said. Four companies who produce gravel, asphalt and piping will work together on the project, English said.

Money for the actual backboards and maintenance, however, will come out of the SA allocated campus recreation budget, English said.

English said she is working closely with Patricia Perkins, assistant to Eddie Williams, vice president for Finance and Planning, to coordinate this project.

“What we’re looking to do now that we have verbal commitments is to get written agreements from the contractors and from the NIU architect, who must see all university plans,” English said.

The actual construction should take about a month.