by MATTHEW NASH
Sequim Gazette
After more than six months, the two bottom courts at Sequim High School are open again.
John McAndie, maintenance and operations supervisor for the Sequim School District, said staff members completed the restoration and striping of the courts last week.
“The repair was less than perfect but we believe we have the courts in a playable condition,” he said.
District staff closed the courts in the fall due to unsafe conditions from cracks and uneven playing surfaces. They attempted to fill and seal the courts but were unable to fix them at the time.
Making the issue more pressing was that the Sequim boys tennis team needed to adjust its practice and meets in the fall to accommodate less playing space. District staff also wanted to be finished with repairs for the spring because the girls team traditionally has a high turnout. The idea to make cuts was presented for the girls team but not implemented by head coach Justine Wagner.
Community members had to adjust, too, since Sequim High School hosts the only public courts in the Sequim-Dungeness area. After the closure, only three courts remained open.
McAndie said maintenance staff used a rubberized base material last week and let it solidify over the weekend.
“We’ll see how it does,” he said.
“The other materials took quite awhile to dry and we were short on time so we went with this other material. We also found the material we used last fall already started to develop some small cracks.”
But a few days in and the courts are already back in use. Sequim girls tennis team played its first meet against the Olympic Trojans on March 16.
Wagner said she and the team are pleased to have them done.
“The custodial staff did a great job on the lines,” she said. “I’m a happy camper. Now everyone will get to the hit the ball more frequently and there won’t be any more standing around waiting.”
McAndie said the repairs are a temporary fix.
“I wouldn’t say the courts are ideal but they are playable,” he said. “We’ll definitely take another look this summer.”
A long plywood board still blocks off the main entrance to the courts, but the courts are open again to the public, McAndie said. A gate is now unlocked on the other side.
Courting controversy
During the courts’ closure, some local tennis players verbalized their anger that the City of Sequim didn’t construct tennis courts in the past 20 years after continuing to propose them in the city’s long-range planning.
The current Parks Master Plan update shows plans, barring grants/donations, to build four tennis courts in 2017-2018 valued at $225,000 and eight pickleball courts in 2016-2017 for $150,000.
However, the city’s Parks Master Plan includes $4.3 million in projects over six years and traditionally the city only spends about $100,000 annually on parks projects.
In recent years, proposals to resurface the courts and/or build new structures such as The Bubble, an inflatable dome for tennis, were rejected by either the Sequim School Board or city council.
But Sequim city councilors on Feb. 23 mostly backed the idea of building courts as soon as possible.
Sequim Superintendent Kelly Shea also wrote to the city councilors saying that he and the school district want to collaborate with the city, Clallam County’s parks department and tennis community groups to find a location and help pay for new courts.
Representatives with the Peninsula Tennis Club said another possible funding option for new courts is that a foundation of a local private company still is committed to six figures for an outside tennis courts with some stipulations such as for lighting.
The Sequim Community Tennis Fund also was established by recent transplant Terry Parks to bring awareness for new tennis courts and support any effort to build courts.
The Sequim Community Tennis Fund can receive funds at First Federal locations and by contacting Parks at sctf40love@gmail.com, terrenceparks@netscape.net or 808-7949.
