City Beach once again serving up tennis
Kim Woodruff, left, and Jim Parsons Jr., right, smack the first groundstrokes on the newly surfaced City Beach tennis courts in 2008.
(Daily Bee file photo/ERIC PLUMMER)
SANDPOINT — Sweltering tennis groundstrokes followed immediately by a refreshing dip in Lake Pend Oreille — what could be better?
It took a little longer than expected, but tennis returned to City Beach on Monday as Jim Parsons Jr., Parks and Rec Director Kim Woodruff, Public Works Director Kody Van Dyk and Bee sports editor Eric Plummer christened the brand new courts with some singles matches.
The courts, originally saved more than two years ago when 117 community members raise $30,000, sat idle for the last year due to safety concerns. When the courts were resurfaced with plexi-pave, bubbles formed underneath the gaps, which had been covered with an armor material. The original company that surfaced the courts had gone out of business.
Woodruff decided the only way to properly repair the courts was to tear up the original surface, put in a proper base and go from there. Fence posts and the new expanded surface were the only new costs, as everything else was able to be re-used.
“We’re finally able to provide solid tennis courts for the 117 people who donated and cared about keeping them there,” said Woodruff, a solid tennis player in his own right. “I felt we owed it to those people who raised the $30,000. Everybody’s original donations were honored.”
Woodruff wanted to also thank the Sandpoint City Council and Mayor for providing the budget authority to properly rebuild the popular courts. A host of local business (see inset box) also reduced their rates to help minimize the cost of the rebuild.
Parsons Jr., the president of the Sandpoint Tennis Association and one of the people who built the original courts in the 1960s, said it was a real treat to see the courts back in action.
“I didn’t ever want to see them go,” said Parsons, who at 77 still rips a solid groundstroke. “The number of people playing has gone up in the last year. Everything is good about it.”
Two of the four courts at Travers Park also have a brand new surface, with the other two to be completed soon. Coupled with the two Lakeview courts, Sandpoint will boast eight pristine public courts for play.
“I’m excited for everyone involved,” added Woodruff. “Hats off to the Sandpoint Tennis Association, and in particular, Jim Parsons.”