Many high school tennis players may soon not have to worry about getting wet or having their matches canceled due to weather.
And those looking for public indoor tennis courts will have another option in Clark County.
There’s a plan in the works to build a bubble over the eight tennis courts at Camas High School and have it become a place not only for prep tennis, but also the community.
The United States Tennis Association Pacific Northwest Section has teamed together with the high school for the project, which is in development. The hope is to have construction happen late spring and into summer in time for a fall 2025 opening.
The Camas School Board agreed to the partnership with the USTA PNW in July.
“This is an amazing opportunity for our students and community,” Camas athletic director Stephen Baranowski said in a statement. “Tennis is one of our most popular sports, with over 90 girls participating in our program last year.
“This would be a great way to get even more students of all levels involved, and at the same time, support our varsity teams that have won four state championships in the past three years.”
Much like the USTA PNW operation of the Vancouver Tennis Center, this facility would be much like that with membership and non-member options for those wanting to play.
The USTA PNW would resurface the courts with the same surface as used at VTC and be responsible for any future resurfacing or court repairs.
“The court resurfacing is a big factor,” Baranowski told The (Camas) Post-Record. “It is hundreds of thousands of dollars to resurface a court … and we have cracks running through our courts, so it will need to be resurfaced soon.”
A project like this could also help Southwest Washington bring in more tournaments, such as the WIAA state championships. Vancouver is the current host for the 3A state tournament.
It also would give many others the opportunity to play year-round.
“An indoor facility, especially given our beautiful but damp climate, makes tennis accessible to many of my students year-round,” Camas principal Kelly O’Rourke said in a statement. “Additionally, the opportunity to provide a community resource solidifies the importance of bringing partners together for the benefit of kids.”
The total cost of the proposed facility has not been determined since it is still in development.
