The Lewis County Tennis Association (LCTA) on Wednesday announced a $100,000 donation toward the proposed Regional Lewis County Tennis and Wrestling Facility in Chehalis from a Centralia donor who wishes to remain anonymous.
“The impact this project will have across all our local communities inspired my support, as someone who plays tennis with adult and student athletes from both of the Twin Cities,” the donor wrote in a letter to the LCTA.
The facility is a joint project between the LCTA, the Chehalis Foundation and Chehalis Activators, with support from the Centralia Foundation and coaches from local tennis and wrestling teams.
Once open, the four-court building on Bishop Road will broaden opportunities for racket sport players across the region and provide a home for the Chehalis Middle School wrestling program, according to a news release from LCTA.
The LCTA is a nonprofit with a 154-person membership roster of volunteers who have supported the project with donations of time and money. The association announced $2.2 million has been pledged for the structure.
Thanks to 20th District Rep. Peter Abbarno, R-Centralia, the project received an $875,000 allocation from the Legislature in 2022.
“It’s a good community project, most certainly,” Abbarno stated in the release. “Any time you can support youth sports, but especially student athletes who may carry their sport to the collegiate level. It’s about quality of life. It’s about education.”
The LCTA has worked with the Pacific Northwest chapter of the United States Tennis Association (USTA) to study the project.
According to an economic impact statement provided by the USTA, the facility would “create significant positive economic impact to Lewis County” between existing tennis clientele in the area, students in the Centralia and Chehalis school districts and new players and tournaments, which will draw players from across Washington state.
“Tennis has long been perceived as a sport for the privileged but that is not true for student players in the Twin Cities,” Megan Wellander, W.F. West tennis coach, wrote in a letter of support for the facility, later adding, “Without more year-round courts and affordable access to training, we are limiting opportunities for aspiring players and reinforcing systemic inequities.”
The structure will be made of steel, or steel and fabric, modeled after similar facilities in Puyallup, Camas and elsewhere across the Pacific Northwest.
Steve Ward, former vice president of finances and administration for Centralia College, is the construction facilitator for the tennis and wrestling facility. In the coming months, Ward will release a request for bid proposal for construction on phase two of the project, which will include surfacing for the courts.
Learn more about the LCTA at https://lewiscountytennis.com.
