Update for Sept. 20
With the weather as nice as it was, we all probably should have been playing tennis instead of standing outside the court talking about it.

Nonetheless, the polished new courts at Steve Cox Memorial Park in White Center deserved a proper dedication, and it was given on the afternoon of Sept. 20.

With the help of a Community Development Block Grant from the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development, the courts that were hardly playable with undulating surfaces punctuated by the cracks of weather and time were given “a complete overhaul” in the words of Doug Williams with the King County Dept. of Natural Resources and Parks. They are the only lighted public courts in the area.

Emerald Paving was hired to resurface and repaint the courts, which include light blue lines (closer to the net than the white regulation lines) specifically for younger children who want to try out the game.

Participants in the dedication included Shannon Braddock, chief of staff for King County Councilmember Joe McDermott; Kevin Brown, Director of King County Parks; Kathy Tremper the Community Development Coordinator for the County’s Community Development Block Grant Program; Gail Benzler from the U.S. Tennis Association; and Jim Uyesugi, Northwest Sports Foundation, and Darlene Sellers, Recreation Coordinator with King County.

Benzler, with the USTA Pacific Northwest Section (someone who sees a lot of tennis courts), said, “I can’t even tell you how wonderful these look. These are, I think, among the best looking and most utilitarian courts we have in our section.”

“Tennis is more than a sport,” Benzler added. “It’s a bonding experience. You get to bond and be with your friends, with your coworkers, with family, with community. Young and old, it doesn’t matter where you live, it doesn’t matter your socioeconomic status, it doesn’t matter: you can play tennis.”

Darlene Sellers, recreation coordinator for the White Center area, said, “We had kids and families … waiting at the gate to get in the day they opened. When we come in to work in the morning, there are people playing. And when we drive by at 11 p.m. at night to check on the park, there are people still playing.”

And with that, the ceremonial ribbon cutting with oversized scissors took place, and the courts of Steve Cox Memorial Park, named in honor of the fallen King County Sheriff’s Deputy who devoted his life to White Center, were handed back to the players.

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Original Post
King County press release
Come to King County’s Steve Cox Memorial Park in White Center on Thursday, Sept. 20th to see the newly remodeled tennis courts in action.

The rededication ceremony is scheduled for 2:30 p.m. today (Sept. 20), at the park, 1321 SW 102nd St., Seattle.

King County has just wrapped up a complete overhaul of the courts – the only lighted public tennis courts in the White Center community. Before this project, the courts had cracked surfaces and other deficiencies that had to be repaired before they could be safely played on again.

The work, which included resurfacing and painting the courts, was done with the help of a Community Development Block Grant from the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development.

Rededication ceremony participants include Shannon Braddock, chief of staff for King County Councilmember Joe McDermott; Kevin Brown, Director of King County Parks; Kathy Tremper the Community Development Coordinator for the County’s Community Development Block Grant Program; Gail Benzler from the U.S. Tennis Association; and Jim Uyesugi, Northwest Sports Foundation.

Following brief remarks, the tennis team from John F. Kennedy Catholic High School will take to the courts for practice.

More information about the park is available at http://www.kingcounty.gov/recreation/parks/inventory/stevecoxmemorial.a….