Dream Courts Rise Out Of Dallas Tragedy

DALLAS (CBS11) - On the one-year anniversary of the Dallas police ambush, basketball courts are helping police and families heal.

The tragedy of the ambush fueled the idea behind the Dallas Dream Courts.  Two of them opened Friday.

Former Dallas Police Chief said it wasn't easy getting to this point.

"This anniversary has bubbled up some emotions that I really didn't anticipate," began Brown at a ceremony Friday.

Last December, a new basketball court funded through the charity, was dedicated in the Dixon Circle neighborhood of South Dallas, a place marked by stray dogs and entrenched poverty.

"We want to let them know, by opening up these Dream Courts we're just trying to pour love into this community," explained Basketball Hall of Famer, Nancy Lieberman.

Lieberman said she dreamed up a way to unite the community using seeds of friendship planted at Kiest Park.

"You are bringing young people together with police officers when there is no crisis," commended Brown.

"They love basketball," said parent Esther Harris. "And it's exciting that we're going to have a basketball court here at the park near where we live."

On the court, a simple game of hoops helped lift spirits.

"Doing something like this is uplifting," said Dallas Police Lt. Sally Lannom. "It's honoring what happened, it's helping our loss, but it's about the kids."

Lieberman said the dream is to eventually open up to 30 Dream Courts across the country during the next four or five years.

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