| PLEASE HELP PAY FOR LED LIGHTS AT THE PARKVIEW TENNIS COMPLEX
The BHTA’s current priory project is to install light-emitting diode (LED) lights for the 12 tennis courts at the Parkview Tennis Complex located at 4325 Parkview Drive, Rapid City, SD 57701. The courts have the electrical infrastructure necessary for this project although the city’s lighting plan was not completed, and the courts remain unlit. The cost of the project will exceed $250,000. To cover the cost, the BHTA has applied for a $100,000 Wellmark Foundation Matching Assets to Community Health (MATCH) Grant. The BHTA has certified that it will raise $100,000 to equal the Wellmark Foundation MATCH Grant. Assuming the Wellmark Foundation awards the $100,000, the BHTA will need to raise $150,000 to compete the project. To date we have $25,000 in sustainable funding commitments, another $10,000 from one USTA grant, and have applied for another USTA grant of $25,000. Continuing growth in the Rapid City population and the number of resident tennis players increase the need for more court time. Currently, many high school matches are not played because we run out of light impacting the beginner and Junior Varsity level players stopping their ability to grow and improve. With lighting, we will have the ability to bid for and run tournaments more efficiently. Big draw USTA matches would be easier to schedule. Moreover, as you may know, Rapid City awarded $3 Million Dollars to install new tennis courts at Sioux Park. With the loss of the Sioux Park’s lighted tennis courts (for about of 19 months of court reconstruction activities), the only way to accommodate the demand for additional and safe court time is by providing lighting for evening/nighttime play in Parkview. Also, if there are lighted courts in Parkview, the Rapid City Parks and Recreation Department would be able to offer evening/night lessons for working families. With so many of the people who live in the neighborhood being two parents working families they often cannot get their kids to lessons during the day. With lighting, any access barrier created by work and school time commitments will be eliminated. You may donate by:
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