A renovated basketball court has officially opened in Kapetanski Park in Zadar, giving the city center a new public space for sport, recreation and community gatherings. The court was delivered through a partnership between the City of Zadar and the Sunset Sports Festival, and the opening drew local residents, athletes and public figures to the Citadel area of the UNESCO-listed historic peninsula.

The launch came ahead of the fifth edition of the Sunset Sports Festival, held in Zadar from 4 to 6 June, and added a visible centerpiece to the festival’s build-up. Music performances, dance showcases and youth basketball games filled the opening ceremony, while Alessandro Del Piero took part in panels and discussions on the future of sport.

At the center of the project is Shelton Hawkins, the American artist who designed the court. His work now sits inside one of Zadar’s most closely watched public spaces, where the city and its festival partner are trying to turn a single sports surface into a gathering point with wider appeal.

City officials say the renovation is only the first phase of a broader redevelopment of Kapetanski Park, with the longer-term aim of creating a multifunctional space for sports, cultural events and youth engagement. That leaves the most important part of the plan still open: what comes after the court, and how much of the park will change next.