Spencer pickleball courts receive update

By Terry Prust As you visit the courts this year, you will find some exciting changes. Last fall, it was the Spencer Pickleball Area Recreational Club’s (SPARC) goal to do the athletic sealcoating in 2025. Through the club’s fund raisers, grant writing, member, public and business donations, we are on our way to complete various parts of our Phase II of the project.

This spring you will see steel posts inserted into the asphalt. These are for the 4-foot fencing to divide the pickleball courts for the players’ safety. The SPARC club took on this task: one that needed to be done before the sealcoating could take place. You will also see 270 linear feet of control joint cuts into the asphalt at the net lines. This is to control future cracking of the asphalt, along with the control that the fence line posts will provide. The club cut the control joints before setting up the nets this spring, and in by doing so saved $2,000 off the cost of the sealcoating.

Sometime between now and Sept. 1, the athletic sealcoating will be completed. The kitchen area of the courts will be brick red, the court area will be dark blue, lines will be white and the out of bounds area a medium green.

With the club having already completed the dugout/storage shed, benches, and bike rack last fall, the remaining part of our Phase II budget is the perimeter fencing. This will take place with future fundraisers, the continuation of grant writing along with pubic and business support.

Do stop by and visit the courts. There are paddles and balls available to practice with under the dugout. If you are interested in learning more about SPARC and their project you can contact me at 715-721-0758 or club secretary Sheveney Verhulst 715-615-4941.

The Village of Spencer will be accepting donations to allow them to be tax deductible. Checks can be made out to “Village of Spencer, Memo: Pickleball Courts.” You can mail them to 105 S. Park St., Spencer, WI 54479.