Rupert Bell basketball courts to close for mural project

Winston-Salem is closing the basketball courts at Rupert Bell Park for a late-summer renovation and public-art project.

The city announced on Friday, July 24, 2026, that the courts at 1501 Mt. Zion Place will close to the public beginning Monday, August 3. The work is expected to continue through the end of September.

The project includes renovation of the basketball pavilion and courts, resurfacing and restriping the court surface, and creation of a large-scale mural honoring Winston-Salem native and NBA star Chris Paul. The Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Public Art Commission selected artist Brian Peterson after community members reviewed proposals and voted through a survey.

• What closes: The basketball courts and fenced construction areas at Rupert Bell Park.
• What stays open: Rupert Bell Community Center, the picnic shelter, and park areas outside the construction zone.
• Visitor note: The city asks the public to stay out of fenced and marked work areas for safety.

The city says the project is funded through the Choice Neighborhoods Initiative Public Art Revitalization Program, with a portion designated for beautification projects in surrounding east Winston-Salem communities.

Source: Reporting based on the City of Winston-Salem's July 24, 2026 news release, Rupert Bell Park Basketball Courts To Close for Renovation and Chris Paul Mural Project, checked July 24, 2026.