Community notebook: Work under way on VTC new tennis courts
Outdoor courts should be ready by August
By Paul Danzer, Columbian
Soccer, hockey and Community Sports Reporter
Published: June 27, 2016, 9:27pm
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Work is under way on rebuilding the outdoor tennis courts at the Vancouver Tennis Center. (Contributed photo)
Come August, the Vancouver Tennis and Racquetball Center will have something that has been missing for at least a decade — four playable outdoor tennis courts.
Work began last week on a project that will replace the four original outdoor courts at the facility at 18th and Stapleton in Vancouver. The project is a complete rebuild. Barring weather or other delays, the new courts should be ready for play by early August according to Brent Waddle, the manager and director of Vancouver Tennis Center.
The initial cost was $140,000 but might climb to as much as $165,000 with changes to the work order such as improved fencing, according to Waddle.
Waddle said bids for the project came in much lower than previous attempts to finance this renovation project. He said lower oil and gas prices contributed to making the project affordable.
The non-profit Vancouver Tennis Center Foundation was responsible for securing $90,000 for the project including $55,000 in direct donations from members and supporters and $35,000 in grant money.
“A big thanks to our membership,” said Michele Rudi, co-president of the foundation and one of the people who has worked for two years to get funding for the project.
Rudi said that Dick Hannah, one of the community members instrumental in getting the tennis center built in 1975, was a key contributor for this project. She added that support from Vancouver Public Schools, which owns the property, was also critical to the project.
The work is being done by Beynon Sports Surfaces. The company is known for its world-class track and field surfaces and according to Waddle is building the tennis court for the Davis Cup matches to be held in July at the Tualatin Hills Park and Recreation District in Beaverton.
Cracks in the courts have been a problem for more than a decade, and in recent years the courts have “almost been dangerous,” Waddle said.
In addition to the public and VTC members, the courts will be used by the Fort Vancouver High School tennis team. The school’s booster club contributed money to have Trappers signage at the courts.
The tennis center at 5300 E. 18th St., is Vancouver Public Schools property operated by the city of Vancouver parks department. In the spring of 2015, the parks department finalized a new 10-year agreement to lease the property from school district. That agreement includes the option of extending the lease up to five additional years by mutual agreement.
As part of the new lease, the city of Vancouver originally agreed to have the outdoor courts repaired by Sept. 30 of 2015, but that deadline was extended after plans fell through to top the courts with a synthetic grass product.
Throwers advance to JO regional
Nicole Guthrie and McKenna Flanagan of the Flanagan Clan Girls Track Club of Woodland each won throwing events during the Pacific Northwest Association Track and Field Junior Olympics Championships. The meet took place Friday through Sunday in Seattle.
Those who placed in the top eight in their age-group events advance to a regional meet in two weeks in Seattle. Results for Flanagan Clan athletes are in the Community Sports Scoreboard.
Results for athletes from the Evergreen Storm Track Team of Vancouver were not available on Monday.
CCRC run draws 133
A total of 133 runners participated in the Clark County Running Club’s Wednesday run on June 22 in Camas. Of those, 114 were timed during the Grass Valley 5K. Vancouver brothers Oscar and Ahrlin Bauman again were the first two finishers.
