Staff photo/Jane Howard The new tennis courts and viewing area west of Cook County High School. The construction project, nearing completion, includes a new storage building and practice backboard. The public is invited to a celebration of the quarter-million-dollar project to be held Saturday, September 19, 2009 at the new courts. An opening ceremony will start at 11:00 a.m.
“We have a lot to celebrate,” Lee Bergstrom said at a Cook County Tennis Association (CCTA) annual meeting and dinner September 3, 2009. This year, the association is completing a quarter-million dollar tennis court reconstruction project west of Cook County High School, and that is why the association is hosting a celebration Saturday, September 19 at the new courts.
Festivities will include opening ceremonies at 11:00 a.m., a silent auction, lunch, a fundraising competition showcasing junior players, and a social mixer lasting until 4:00 p.m.
The construction project, which includes three lighted courts that replace three decrepit courts, a practice wall, a roofed viewing area, and a storage shed, was handled by Forest Lake Construction along with numerous subcontractors. It was financed through grants and donations.
Along with local elected officials, Representative David Dill and Senator Tom Bakk and officials from the United States Tennis Association (USTA) have been invited.
The county owns the land on which the tennis courts sit and has contributed tens of thousands of dollars toward the construction project. CCTA President Gene Glader wrote in an August 26 letter to the county board, “We are very appreciative of the support of the Cook County Board of Commissioners which helped us complete this project.” The initiative of the tennis association was vital to the project, however, Glader said in an August 25 interview.
Club members have put in a lot of hours in the planning, fundraising, and construction phases of the project. “We’ve had a lot of volunteer help,” said Glader. The club will maintain the courts as well once they are finished.
How significant to the community are the new courts? “They say [tennis] is the fastestgrowing sport right now,” Glader said. “A quality tennis complex is a vital component of a tourist destination.”
Bergstrom is pleased the new courts add to the area’s amenities. As she has traveled to tournaments with her son, she has felt good telling them about Cook County’s tennis program.
Glader hopes more people will become involved in CCTA’s programs, which include the USTA Quick Start Program, USTA junior tennis programs, local and regional tournaments, and tennis classes. The club can help players of all ages and abilities find partners and play times. A $40 annual tennis membership is cheaper than a round of golf, Glader pointed out.
“I maintain that Grand Marais is the most cosmopolitan small town in Minnesota,” said Glader. “We have a remarkable small-town tennis club.”
The public is invited to the September 19 reconstruction celebration.
Leave a Reply