Renovated Chewelah Courts Serve Growing Demand for Pickleball, Tennis

Tennis and pickleball players are returning to newly-renovated courts at the Chewelah Golf and Country Club following a project that repaired damaged asphalt and installed a fresh playing surface. Jim Gish, chair of the Chewelah Court Center Committee, said the ten- nis courts were overdue for improvements after going three decades without re- surfacing.

“The courts used for ten- nis had not been resur- faced in 30 years, so they required a number of re- pairs,” Gish said. “A section of the court surface had buckled. It was removed and replaced with new as- phalt. The remainder of the asphalt court surface was sanded, cleaned, washed and dried. Multiple lay- ers of acrylic resurface and paint were applied to the surface and then court lines painted on.” He added that the ren- ovation took 55 calendar days, although crews were actively working at the site for less than two weeks.

“Work was performed on 12 of those days. An as- phalt curing period and weather delays made up the other 43 days,” Gish said. Beyond improving the appearance of the courts, Gish said resurfacing provides athletes with a safer and more consistent place to play. “The court surface is critical to the enjoyment of the game,” he explained.

“It provides a uniform sur- face that produces a fair and predictable bounce, and minimizes the risk of tripping on an uneven sur- face. A dirty and worn sur- face lacks the traction necessary to confidently move around the court without fear of slipping, especially in wet conditions.”

Regular maintenance can also protect the un- derlying asphalt and ex- tend the life of the courts, he said. “A well-maintained court surface is like a roof; it prevents water from infil- trating into the court’s in- ner layers. Water and frost will work to degrade and separate the court surface from the base asphalt.

Water that gets below the as- phalt layer can freeze in the winter and heave and crack the asphalt.” The frequency with which a court needs to be resurfaced depends on its condition, usage, and exposure to the elements. For planning purposes, the committee is anticipating that the renovated surfaces will last roughly a decade.

“Estimated lifetimes vary considerably and many environmental factors will affect it,” Gish said. “CGCC (Chewelah Golf and Country Club) is using an expected lifetime of 10 years for planning purposes. As an example, after 10 years of use, the pickleball courts had numerous surface cracks and areas with flaking paint which the renovation repaired.”

Pickleball was introduced in Chewelah in 2016 and has continued to grow in popularity, Gish said, noting that the courts are frequently occupied by community members. “The activity at the courts shows how the community has responded. Since pickleball arrived in Chewelah, it has grown considerably,” he said. “While the overall reac- tion has been very positive, we’ve also received some negative feedback.

The replacement of the 30-yearold tennis court surface will attract more tennis players, and we hope to add a basketball practice area as well. This renova- tion project supports our long-term goal of expanding recreational opportu- nities for North Chewelah residents. I believe the community recognizes the need for more family activ- ities like tennis, pickleball, and basketball.”

Gish said the improvements were made possi- ble through the support of Chewelah Golf and Country Club members and will benefit both current players and future generations.