The Nelson Tennis Club is asking School District 8 for nearly $69,000 to complete paving its multi-sport facility at L.V. Rogers.
The project was given the green light in 2018 by the district, which at the time committed to approximately $140,000 in funding for the renovation of dilapidated tennis courts above the Nelson high school. Four courts, two basketball half-courts and a space for road hockey was completed in 2018, but work remains.
Club president Keith Bridger, who made the request for $63,839 at Tuesday’s district board meeting, said paving expenses are difficult to raise money for.
“Certainly the easiest part to get the funding for has been for court construction and putting those facilities in,” said Bridger.
“I’m first to admit paving is a tougher sell, but it really needs to be done and it’s not the type of project you can get donations and grant money for.”
Several trustees were reluctant to commit more money to the project, which is actually owned by the district but has been built and managed by the tennis club. Trustees later voted to defer a decision on the request to their 2020-21 budget consultations this spring.
If they vote in favour, the district will have contributed $203,839 to the facility, which the club estimates will cost $809,000 when it is complete.
“It’s been a fabulous deal for them in the sense that they are the owners of all these brand new facilities,” said Bridger.
“They’ve gotten great use of them, not just by LVR but the elementary schools in the district and other programs. They’ve contributed under 25 per cent. Even if they contribute for the parking they’ll still be under 25 per cent of the total cost of that project.”
The paving work would cover the court’s entrance, an area that had been a parking lot but will be changed into another pickleball court, and a strip between the courts and a clubhouse that’s currently under construction.
Bridger said the club hopes to have the clubhouse, a court-side washroom, the pickleball court and courtside lighting completed by early 2021.
Related:
• VIDEO: Nelson Tennis Club’s new home opens
• YEAR IN REVIEW: Nelson’s top sports stories of 2018
tyler.harper@nelsonstar.comLike us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter
