Parents at Park Manor Public School are fed up with the rundown tennis courts at their school and are taking matters into their own hands.
![The school’s parent council is hoping to raise more than $20,000 to revive the dilapidated play area. [Whitney Neilson / The Observer]](https://www.observerxtra.com/content/images/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/post_news_court.jpg)
The courts haven’t been repaired in some 10 years, leaving them with cracks and damaged fencing. The school’s parent council sent out letters to community groups this week asking for help to get them in usable shape again. As it stands, only one court even has a net.
School council chair Janet Redmond says it will cost more than $20,000 to repair the courts, after receiving estimates from local businesses. If that seems high, consider the alternative – $45,000 to start fresh and completely repave them.
“Unfortunately we’ve been having trouble even getting the roof repaired at our school,” Redmond said. “The board doesn’t seem very willing to help with things. Parent council has taken it upon themselves in the last couple years to stock away some money so we can do some outside things for the kids. We have $5,000 that we’re willing to put toward this.”
They raised that money through magazine sales they do every fall. But with changing technology the sales keep decreasing every year, which is another reason they’re asking the community for help. She says the tennis courts aren’t the only thing they’d like to fix at the school, but it’s a good place to start.
“We’d like to also do some other things, even some landscaping, or getting a track around the property so that the kids can have something to walk on, or even just some more trees for shade,” Redmond said. “The tennis court is one of the things we know we can’t do by ourselves. We are reaching out to the community knowing that they’re there for the community to use at their leisure.”
The repairs that need to be done are line painting, sealant, asphalt repair, new fencing, removal of old fencing, and weed removal. She says a gym class of 25 to 30 students can’t go out and use the courts because there isn’t enough room, and it’s also a safety concern.
“They are in quite a state of disrepair … It’s even hard to play because you’re tripping over cracks and grass that’s growing up,” Redmond said.
Parents received information this week about the school council’s fundraising efforts for the tennis courts. Tax receipts will be issued for donations and they can also donate through the Waterloo Education Foundation Inc. account.
The property technically belongs to the school board, but Principal James Bond has been asking them to repair the net post holes for a couple years with no luck. The needed repairs were brought to the board office facilities operation, where they were put on a list in order of importance.
“We would love it if people would like to help out and donate,” Redmond said. “We know that with the new school, Riverside, coming that Park Manor is here to stay. It’s not going to be taken out as the other schools are going to be needing the 7 and 8 grades. It’s definitely a goal for us to get the outdoor space user friendly.”
She says repairing these tennis courts sooner rather than later is the goal. It would be a good option for students to use them during nutrition breaks to get in a little fun and exercise, but they can’t use them.
“At Park Manor, there’s very little for them to actually do,” Redmond said. “School council has put tether balls in the past few years. We want them to be active and stay out of trouble and be as engaged as they can. For the community as a whole, we love that the community members come and use the tennis courts, and whatever age you are. There’s no limitation. It’s important to keep everyone as active as possible.”
