Ethan Hoagland
A viral sport taking the U.S. by storm could soon be played at Sweet Home’s Junior High, as the Sweet Home School board approved funds for six new pickleball courts. It’s part of a recreation area proposed by district business manager Kevin Strong, maintenance supervisor Josh Darwood and interim principal Nate Tyler. The area would also include two basketball courts and a four-square area.
“When we completed the Sweet Home Junior High School renovation project, we had to add a fire lane on the west side of the school,” Strong said in an email to The New Era. “The fire lane makes the field space that had been there too narrow for a football or soccer field.”
In the memorandum sent to the board, the three said they expect the project to cost about $35,000. The funding for the recreation area will come from Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief funds. That’s covid relief money set aside by the federal government in 2020. In addition, they plan to use a $5,784 wellness grant from Samaritan Health to cover costs.
“The junior high has been asking for an area where kids can play outside after lunch,” Strong continued.
Current plans included in the memorandum showed the new recreation area on the west side of the building between the school and the district’s transportation center. As acknowledged in the memorandum, that could eat into some of the camping space for the Oregon Jamboree, a conflict district officials wanted to get ahead of by reaching out to festival director Robert Shamek.
“We’ve communicated back and forth and remain hopeful that we can work something out,” Strong said. “The Jamboree is a significant fund raising event for many of our student groups and teams. In addition, the Jamboree has benefited the community in many ways including providing a key contribution for the tennis courts along 18th Avenue. We want the Jamboree to continue to be successful.”
“We will end up losing a few camping spaces, but can absolutely work around the school’s progress,” Oregon Jamboree Festival Director Robert Shamek said. “The Jamboree is 100% onboard no matter what the impact is on the festival.”
Shamek also noted $41,957 paid out to the Sweet Home School District for their help during the 2023 Oregon Jamboree. According to Larry Johnson, a supervisor for the Jamboree who’s involved in the Sweet Home High School Alumni Association, that’s the most students have earned from their efforts at the festival.
A timeline for construction has yet to be revealed, but Strong says it’s “still a ways out” before work begins.