Turner Valley School enjoying new courts

Youngsters are no longer sitting on the bench following the construction of a multi-sport asphalt complex on Turner Valley School grounds this summer.
School staff and parents invited the community to the official grand opening of the asphalt court complex Sept. 13 to acknowledge the efforts of those who made the project a reality.
Partners included the Town of Turner Valley, Foothills School Division, Turner Valley School Parent and Teacher Association and local businesses. The project was completed in late August and is now a hit amongst students, said Becky Mowatt, chair of the Legacy Park Committee.
“Every recess there are 30 to 40 kids on the court, and after school many of the junior and senior high kids meet to play,” she said. “It has been incredibly satisfying seeing the court loaded with kids and I hope that everyone involved understands that their investment, whether big or small, is what makes this such an amazing community.”
Turner Valley council agreed to contribute $25,000 from its operating reserve fund toward the multi-sport asphalt complex at its June 17 meeting.
The request for the 500-square-metre junior high basketball court with adjustable nets, two four-square courts, two tetherball courts and a court for badminton and pickleball came from the PTA. The school previously had regulation 10-foot-tall basketball hoops, meaning its 250 students had a basketball court they couldn’t utilize.
Mowatt said the PTA, which had previously raised $160,000 for playground equipment upgrades for its Legacy Park, contributed $25,000 to this latest project, which it obtained through fundraising.
During construction, additional excavation work was required due to unforeseen ground conditions, resulting in an additional $5,500 cost.
The school received support from Country Food Mart AG Foods, Woodmaster Homes, Diamond Valley Veterinary Clinic, Pharmasave, Western Financial Group and Acreage Development Solutions to help cover some of the cost, and is still waiting to hear from other businesses, said Mowatt.
“We are fortunate to live in such an amazing community,” she said. “There is no shortage of fundraising groups asking local businesses for donations, but these businesses stepped up to the plate to help us cover some additional costs we encountered during the excavation work. This project is a big win for the community.”
Mowatt said partnerships like these bring the community together.
“I think it showcases the successful partnerships we have established and how, with a collaborative effort, we can achieve a win-win for everyone,” she said. ““It has been a pleasure to work with the Town of Turner Valley, Foothills School Division and local community to expand the recreation opportunities for kids in the Diamond Valley area.”
Turner Valley Mayor Barry Crane attributes the success of the project to the partnerships involved.
“The Parent Teacher Association and Foothills School Division are the best partners you can look at for recreation for youth,” he said. “The Town of Turner Valley is always looking for partnerships.”
Crane said the added bonus is the amount of use the courts are getting.
“The first two weeks there were kids on it until 8 p.m.,” he said. “Mine have gone to school early just to play on it. They are absolutely over the moon with it.”
Even the community’s older residents are enjoying the additional recreational opportunity, said Crane.
“I’ve seen adults out playing pickleball,” he said. “It’s fitting a hole in recreation that council is wanting to investigate.”