Kula Tennis Courts expand from two to four courts

Kula - June 2, 2009 was the opening ceremony for two additional tennis courts at the Kula Community Park in Upcountry Maui.

Tamara Horcajo, Maui County Dir.of Parks & Rec. with Steve Sutrov, Kula Tennis Club

The price for building two tennis courts on the slope of a dormant volcano, with retaining walls, additional parking, wheelchair access, driveway realignment and a new water line was $2.5 million. Contractor David P. Ting and Sons finished carving into the mountain and building in eleven months.

Steve Sutrov started rallying the community and advocating to Maui County officials eight years ago over the course of two mayoral terms (Mayors Alan Arakawa and Charmaine Tavares). Phase I of the Kula Tennis Courts master plan (building the first pair of tennis courts) happened in August 1997. With Phase II done, the goal now is to complete the vision and Phase III which includes a passive park and the realization of two more courts making a total of six.

Opening Play

Wendy Milovina (foreground) coached many of Maui's top juniors through high school

Beth's son, Beth Arnoult, Gill McBarnet, Fred Magee

In the crowd was Beth Arnoult, recently retired former national top ranking women's open wheelchair tennis player. Arnoult is the famous game behind the wheelie public parks program on Maui. Access to the new upper courts is wheelchair friendly and wheelie group lessons with a teaching pro and a pro wheelie player will take place again this year at the Kula courts as well as other locations on Maui including War Memorial, Makena and Wailea. Last year, the program included instruction over 5-7 weekends. Maui County provided balls and beverages and this year has secured nine wheelchairs for participants.

Steve commented, "More people have been coming by because they realize they don't have to wait." When asked his opinion about the potential best use of this four court facility, Steve said "I want to see the courts full all the time." He added that the County has its concerns about league usage because adult league uses a five court format. Doing so on a four court facility takes too long, four hours minimum. What would be better is a three court format as is used in Seniors, Mixed Doubles and Ekolu."

Steve Sutrov next to Masako Magee who plans a to return to tennis after knee replacement surgery

Tags: Arnoult, Horcajo, Kula, Maui, Sutro, Tavares, Upcountry

This entry was posted on Friday, July 10th, 2009 at 8:19 pm and is filed under Facility Focus, HIT Line, Maui, Uncategorized. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.