‘Multisport Complex’ serves up an ‘ace’

Pickleball option, and other upgrades, added to ‘the courts’ at 27th Street

By Beth Sergent

For Mason County Extra Edition

POINT PLEASANT, W.Va. – What’s old is new again, thanks to a collaboration between the Mason County Commission and the Robert and Louise Claflin Foundation.

Touted as a “Multisport Complex” for Mason County, “the courts,” as this area has been known for decades along 27^th Street in Point Pleasant, W.Va., has received a major makeover.

Some history

The actual land the facility sits on is owned by the Mason County Board of Education. However, the county owns the courts and cares for the property, an arrangement that goes back to the 1970’s, explained Mason County Commissioner Rick Handley.

The last significant upgrade to the facility was made by the county commission about 10 years ago, Handley said.

For context, the courts are just one piece of several recreational activities and organizations the county commission allocates funds to, as they are available. Last year, after about a decade, that focus shifted back to the courts.

Like local governments across the country, the county commission received funds from the American Rescue Plan (ARP) which were meant to fund infrastructure, following the impact of the coronavirus pandemic. Handley said ARP funds were used for sewer improvements (for example), as well as other projects which contributed to county infrastructure, including upgrades to “the courts.”

The courts’ upgrade cost roughly $120,000, though not all of that was paid for with ARP funds. The Claflin Foundation partnered with the county to pay for $30,000 of that total cost, in a collaborative effort to update the complex.

The first serve

Bob Rulen, a former member of Point Pleasant City Council who had worked with the Claflin Foundation on the upgrades to the walking trail and the addition of Claflin Corner at Krodel Park, said he had an idea to bring pickleball courts to Point Pleasant, hoping to create more recreational opportunities for locals.

Rulen said he approached the Claflin Foundation’s President, Stephen Littlepage, to gauge interest in a new project which focused on possibly adding the pickleball courts to a location within the city. One of the Claflin Foundation’s focuses is personal health and wellness initiatives in local communities.

After receiving a positive response, Rulen said he moved forward by asking pickleball players, and county residents, Jan Haddox and Ed Cromley, to serve with him on a county sports recreation committee focused on this project. After debating on Harmon Park or 27^th Street as the location for the pickleball courts, Rulen explained the decision was ultimately made to go with 27^th Street due to the existing facility, including a parking area, the electrical infrastructure and high visibility.

Rulen said the county commissioners, including Handley, Sam Nibert and Tracy Doolittle, were all onboard for the addition of the pickleball courts and the upgrades to the complex which would include:

Two, regulation-size pickleball courts;

One combination tennis and pickleball court;

Two, full-sized, refurbished basketball courts with “state of the art” fiberglass backboards;

Five-year warranty that includes inspection and maintenance;

Updated LED lighting;

Refurbished benches.

Fast forward

What is being called the county’s “Multisport Complex” is now open to the public, after the project initially began to take shape last fall. The contractor chosen for this venture was Exterior Services from Bluefield, W.Va., Rulen said.

An upgraded security system, along with the refurbished benches are still to be completed. Handley said those last pieces are forthcoming due to taking advantage of a window of opportunity to get the bulk of the project done before summer officially arrived.

In addition, the City of Point Pleasant will be pouring a concrete base for a dedication plaque which will be donated by Scott Justus and Crow-Hussell Funeral Home, Handley added.

Rulen, who worked on writing the grant for the funding, and became a pseudo project manager, said the mission was to create a multisport complex which offered something for athletes of every age group. Rulen also spoke about how this project aligned with the Claflin Foundation’s focus on funding projects which give back the community, as well as the fact that ARP funds would be used to provide a healthy option for outdoor exercise and social interaction after the pandemic shut down those options for so many.

Handley and Rulen stressed different entities were involved in supporting and assisting with aspects of the project, including maintenance departments for both the City of Point Pleasant and the county; as well as local law enforcement, and some residents in the area who kept an eye on the progress, and facility, as it was completed.

Also recognized was Ethan Jordan, a student with the Mason County Career Center’s Engineering Class, who volunteered his time taking aerial photographs via a drone to capture the construction process, Rulen said. Some of those photos appear with this story and were shared to Mason County Extra Edition, with permission, by Rulen.

In short, this community project has already received support from its community members in a variety of ways.

Know before you go

As noted, LED lighting was added as part of the upgrades around the courts. These lights are on a timer and go off at 10:30 p.m. Handley said this complies with an existing 11 p.m. city curfew for young folks under 18, and it is also meant to be considerate of the residents who live near the complex.

In addition:

Use of the courts remains free;

Skateboards, rollerblading, bicycles, are all prohibited on the surfaces;

Those utilizing the facility are asked to wear the correct shoes for their sport;

Abide by the “leave no trace” motto many hikers adhere to when utilizing public property and leave the property as, or better than, you found it – this also means no littering, and when possible, pick up and dispose of any trash. In general, be considerate of others who also utilize the complex.

Both Rulen and Handley wanted to emphasize to the public “this is your court.”

“I’m tickled to death to see the courts being widely used by all ages of people,” Handley said. “We welcome people from all over the county to come in and play…it’s nice seeing everybody back up there again.”

As with any community project he’s ever been involved with, Rulen said: “You want to make sure there’s a return on their (the stakeholders’) investment, and I think we have that here.”

Beth Sergent has nearly 20 years of experience in journalism, having worked as both a reporter and editor. She has a BLA in English from Marshall University, and a certificate in Technical Writing from Duke University. She is a lifelong resident of Mason County.