“The Fredericksburg Morning Rotary Club” has partnered with the City of Fredericksburg to build two full size, side by side, covered basketball courts at Old Fair Park.  A groundbreaking ceremony was held Tuesday morning June the 11th.  Members of the City of Fredericksburg's city council were present along with other City officials.  The building contractor was also represented.  A big portion of our membership also attended.

Over a year Ago, members of our club recognized a need in our community for accessible public basketball courts.  Members of the club approached city officials about the concept of building a covered pavilion that would house 2 full sized basketball courts. Sarah Eckert said “we wanted to build it right next to our skate park.  It just made sense.  5 years ago the City agreed to let us fund raise and build the skate park, so we just thought, hey, that space next to the skate park would be perfect to build a covered basketball court”. So in cooperation with The Rotary Club’s goad goal, the City of Fredericksburg granted the club  property at Old Fair Park adjacent to the Skate Park to build the courts. The city stipulated that the courts be covered, have restroom facilities, drinking water stations, and also have, proper interior lighting, and security cameras. Fundraising for the facility began in early 2016.  “We had only begun our fundraising campaign when a had an email from Mariana Sanchez, followed by a call from George Sanchez” Marc Bennett said.  “George told me that they had heard about the project from one of their grandchildren who was playing basketball with one of our Rotary club members.  George said they wanted to help us build it”.  George Sanchez explained   “We’ve been wanting to build something like this on our own property for awhile .  A place where the kids had a good facility to play basketball, and  it would be open to them most of the time.  We were going to build it on some property that we had, but when I heard about what Rotary wanted to do at Old Fair Park, it was just perfect.  This is a place that is accessible to the kids in town.  So many can ride their bikes, or walk they if the want to play.”

 

The completed structure will be a covered 16,800 sq ft facility that will include 2 full size basketball courts.  The facility will also be able to be configured for indoor soccer practice and games. There will be two restrooms, and water stations. The building will have lighting, and security cameras. 
Once the building is completed, it will be operated and maintained by the Parks and Recreation department of the City of Fredericksburg.
Marc Bennett, board member of The Rotary Club of Fredericksburg Morning stated “This is a terrific example of how we can privately raise funds for needed facilities in our town, and then turn them over to the City for day-to-day operations.  Our Rotary Club was able to do this with the Skate Park, and now the Basketball pavilion. I hope this will be an ongoing process of a private/public partership to build the facilities that our youth need in this community”.