Seeley Lake Elementary sixth, seventh and eighth grade students pose with SLE teachers and Parks Committee members after nearly two hours of cleaning up the tennis courts and loading brush into a dump trailer (back).
Kaden Contreras, Clara Kyrouac and Madison Debernardi loading trees into the dump trailer. Three full loads were removed from around the tennis courts.
Fisher Carpenter, Dakota Gonzalez, Michael Allen, Aiden Posthumus and Angel Bruton worked together to remove all the juniper growing on the north end outside of the double tennis court.
Brylee Melton, James Hayhurst and Wesley Stevenson work together sweeping dirt and vegetation off the tennis court.
SEELEY LAKE – While their classmates were participating in the Cooper League qualifying track meet, around 25 Seeley Lake Elementary sixth, seventh and eighth graders spent their Friday afternoon moving brush and sweeping dirt at the tennis courts in the Seeley Lake Community Park. This was part of a summer-long project to do some much needed maintenance to the facilities at the Park.
The Seeley Lake Parks Committee received a $1,500 grant from Missoula County Parks and Trails Advisory board this spring to maintain the double-tennis court and playground.
"There's been virtually no maintenance done on these [tennis] courts since they were constructed [in 1984]," wrote Carole Rice, tennis instructor and Parks Committee member, "So this effort to fix all the cracks and spruce up the surrounding ground is much needed."
Vegetation surrounding the tennis courts needed to be removed to minimize root impact on the concrete slab. The cracks, some up to an inch and a half wide, will be filled and finished to help restore the integrity of the playing surface. While this is just a temporary fix, it is the Seeley Lake Park Committee's hope that it will slow the deterioration of the current slab until a more permanent fix can be funded.
Most of the students were excited to be outside of the classroom on Friday, May 10 and were eager to get to work. Students were split into two groups. One hauled trees and brush that were lying on the ground and loaded it into a dump trailer. The other group swept all the grit and vegetation that Bill Bogardus, owner of Cob-It, volunteered to blow out of the cracks in the tennis courts.
Three dump trailer loads later all the brush was cleaned up and the juniper was removed. SLE sixth grade teacher Sharon Teague said it was a great opportunity to involve the students in something that will benefit the community. It also showed them how much work it takes to maintain areas they enjoy.
"A great big thank you to all the sixth, seventh and eighth graders from SLE who worked so hard," said Rice.
While the tennis courts will need a final sweeping, the cracks are ready to be patched. Weather permitting the courts will be ready for use in June.
Rice wrote they have a group of tennis and pickleball players that live in the community - all ages from young children to adults. "We're all excited to have a decent and safe place to enjoy our sport this summer," wrote Rice.
Rice will be organizing tennis lessons in June with SLE Outdoor Education Coordinator Bridget Laird. Sign up will be through the summer outdoor program. Rice will provide all the racquets and balls.
Rice will also offer beginning and intermediate tennis to interested children and adults this summer, private or group as well as an on-going summer-long drop-in program for kids of all ages
"I'm just interested in getting others interested in this sport that I enjoy so much," wrote Rice
The Parks Committee is planning a community maintenance day for the playground in July. Please watch the Pathfinder for more information about the Community Work Day. For more information about the Park or how to get involved, please contact Nathan Bourne at 677-2155.
If anyone is interested in tennis lessons or pickleball (a really fun sport similar to tennis on a smaller surface) contact Rice at 406-210-9573.
Rice said, "I'm sure there are tennis and pickleball players in Seeley Lake that I don't know, so please call me so we can get together and plan how we can help put the much needed finishing touches on our courts and enjoy making new friends."
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