The Cook County Tennis Association received a Public Facility Funding Grant check for $44,800 from the National United States Tennis Association for the tennis court reconstruction project taking place this summer. A few of the happy tennis players present at the presentation of the check were (Standing, L to R) Jamie Wick, Rod Wannebo, John Muus, Pat Colbert (USTA Northern), CeCe Schnobrich, David Bergstrom, Kieran Scannell and Jordee Matson (Neebing, ON), (Front Row, L to R) Justin Goldstein, Lars Scannell, Gene Glader, Daniel Ahrendt and Shelby Ahrendt
Due to enthusiastic advocacy on the part of Grand Marais resident Hal Greenwood, the Cook County Tennis Association (CCTA) has been granted $50,000 from the State of Minnesota. Thefunding will allow the nonprofit group to go forward with a major upgrade of three of the county’s five courts on Community Center grounds in Grand Marais.
“It was gosh darn a lot of work to get it done,” said Greenwood. He and CCTA board member Rod Wannebo thanked the county board on May 19, 2009 for the county support that helped them get the grant.
“The Cook County Tennis Association welcomed the assistance of Hal Greenwood in getting the $50,000 from the legislature,” Wannebo said in a separate interview.
The project, to be completed this summer, will include reconstruction of the three oldest tennis courts, new fencing, lighting, a roof over the bleachers, construction of a shed to store wind screens and equipment, a new hitting area with a backboard, and landscaping designed with the help of Extension Director Diane Booth and area Master Gardeners.
The old fencing, which must be removed along with the pavement on the old courts, will be donated to the Sawtooth Mountain Riders Saddle Club, which has established a horse arena on county land north of the Community Center in Grand Marais. Due to a land trade between Cook County Schools and the county, an asphalt hitting area and backboard will be relocated.
Cook County Tennis Association members will provide a lot of volunteer labor not included in the $248,000 expected cost of the project. “[The reconstruction] was initiated three years ago,” Wannebo said, “because our three courts were falling apart,” and since then, CCTA members have worked hard to make it happen.
Asphalt courts last between ten and twenty years, Wannebo said, and the three oldest courts were built 16 or 17 years ago. Thetwo newer courts were built in 1997. “We anticipate that we’ll get another five years out of them at least,” said Wannebo. “We just had them resurfaced last summer.”
In addition to the grant from the state, funding for the project has come from the following sources: $7,500 from the City of Grand Marais; $15,000 from the Lloyd K. Johnson Foundation; $44,800 from the United States Tennis Association (USTA); $16,000 from the United States Tennis Association Northern Section; $62,480 from Cook County; $750 from the Grand Marais Lions Club; $25,000 from pledges (with another $5,000 still to come in); and $8,000 from the Cook County Tennis Association budget. This would leave CCTA a little more than $10,000 short of what it needs to complete the work. Local funding also helped get the USTA regional and national grants because the USTA would only fund projects that would be completed from start to finish.
Wannebo applauded CCTA president John Muus for his efforts to promote the sport of tennis through the years. “Through John Muus’s work… we have received about $4,000 a year for operations,” he said.
Wannebo said Minnesota Representative David Dill played an important part in getting the bill that authorized the grant through the legislature. “We had [made the argument] with Rep. David Dill that we want to do things for kids and adults but we also want to promote tourism,” Wannebo said. The bill was originally vetoed by Governor Pawlenty when it included money for a second hockey rink in St. Paul, but after the legislature removed that part of the bill, the governor signed it. He vetoed several other things in the bill but left the tennis grant in.
What kind of courts will the county have upon completions of the project? “We’re going to have courts you can play on,” said Wannebo. Lighting will allow the courts to be open longer in the evening, and a roof over the spectator area will make viewing much better.
“These are Cook County public tennis courts,” Wannebo said. That means anybody can play on them any time they are open and not being used for scheduled play. The schedule, coordinated by the CCTA, gives the school district first priority for use. A schedule will be posted at the courts and online at www.CookCountyTennis org. People on the court are asked to limit their play to one hour when others are waiting.
Normal summer programs have been scaled back because of construction, which the CCTA hopes will be completed by Fisherman’s Picnic the first weekend in August. Theasphalt has to set for 27 days before paint can be applied. A celebration of the improved facility is scheduled for August 22.
The CCTA has been working with the Grand Marais Area Tourism Association and local businesses to attract tourists who would enjoy playing tennis while on vacation. “Tennis is the fastest-growing recreational sport in America,” Wannebo said, and is expected to reach 30 million players in the near future.
Each year, about 14 businesses support local youth participating in the National Junior Tennis League. While the local tennis association works to provide opportunities for youth to learn the sport of tennis, it also wants to benefit the local economy. The CCTA would like to see local hotels and restaurants promote tennis along with the area’s other amenities. Wannebo was pleased that Moguls Grille has advertised a French breakfast to accompany viewing of the French Open.
Wannebo is grateful for all the help the CCTA has received “We’ve had tremendous assistance from individuals and from people who give grants,” he said.
Hal Greenwood plans to continue helping the Cook County Tennis Association along with other worthy local causes. “I love all of the county,” he said. “I’m … going to be working the rest of my days for the good of the county. I want to do all that I can, plus more. I feel deeply dedicated to it.”
Cook County leads every other county in the state by a large margin in the percentage of the population that belongs to the USTA. With the new tennis courts, Wannebo said, “we will have the best and most complete tennis facility on the North Shore.”
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