Tennis courts to get a facelift
By Lori Mellinger Bullard Banner News

-- Bullard Banner photo by Kelly Griffith Joe Phillips, left, and his wife, Lisa, right, stand with councilwoman Pam Frederick. Phillips agreed to donate his services to refurbish Bullard's tennis courts.

Bullard residents Joe and Lisa Phillips are the latest to show their largesse to the community.

The Phillips, who own Pro Tech Track and Tennis Surfaces, agreed - at the persuasion of councilwoman Pam Frederick - to donate all the labor and materials for the resurfacing of the court.

"The city is grateful to them both," Frederick said. "And the citizens will be, too.

"It's really going to be something Bullard can be proud of. The Phillips' are so generous to give us the benefit of their skills in agreeing to this project. "

City Manager Larry Morgan said the donation is something they're all excited about.

"It's going to make it very nice for us," Morgan said. He said he believes it to be between a $10-12,000 project - with the labor and materials together.

This park - and all it encompasses - is Frederick's baby.

For Frederick and the few who tried before her, the idea came when her children were younger.

"I wanted to take my chil- -ren to the park, but I couldn 't," Frederick said. "Kids couldn't play there, it's unsafe."

So she began holding fund-raisers to replace some of the worn, outdated equipment.

It was then that she realized that others had tried, too.

"Rena French did the same thing before me," Frederick said. "So when she heard I was trying it, she told me there was already a park bank account open."

But since then, the idea has grown exponentially - and the fund-raising is much different.

When Frederick ran for a city council seat in 2002, part of her intention, she said, was to see what could be done about O.L. Ferrell Park in its entirety.

Once she was part of the council, Frederick met former city engineer Ronnie Fix, who, in turn introduced her to a park planner.

The two showed Frederick a better way to get what she wanted accomplished.

Every year, Texas Parks and Wildlife gives grants for parks, and the planner, Mark Priestner, told Frederick this is the best way to begin.

A few years later, and O.L. Ferrell Park is $100,000 richer for it.

Texas Parks & Wildlife gave $50,000 in 2005, and the city is - as specified by the grant - matching those funds with cash or in-kind donations.

The Phillips' donation will be classified as an in-kind donation.

Morgan is pleased at the way Frederick has taken this project on and enlisted the support of the community and the rest of the council.

"Lots of what happens in cities goes unnoticed," Morgan said. "Parks and recreation offerings are highly visible and tell a lot about how much the council and city care about its citizens."

Frederick was an admitted novice when it came to the grant application process. She said she relied heavily on the aid of Fix and Priestner, and their help turned out to be invaluable.

"We couldn't have gotten the grant without them," she said.

Now, with professional grant writer Stacey Thompson on the council, the city is getting help with the stringent compliance and record keeping the it must do when it receives a grant.

"She's taken the records that were two years old, gathered them up, put them in their proper order, and is helping file appropriate papers to TP&W," Morgan said. "It's moved the project along much more quickly for us, and her help has been invaluable."

Frederick agreed.

"Stacey plays an integral part in the council - and especially in the complicated process of obtaining grant money," Frederick said.

"Her knowledge and experience in the field of grant writing is one more part in the big picture in which Bullard has risen to a new level of professionalism. "

And Frederick knows the community will continue to respond.

"A park can be a community gathering place, a tourist attraction, or a guide for future growth, all the while helping to improve the local economy, " she said. "It's the centerpiece of the community."

And the tennis court is the next step since the new equipment and benches were purchased for the playground.

"When people are looking to relocate, they look at three things first," she said, "housing, the school system and the park system. We've got two, and we're working hard on the third.

"I want people to drive by and say, `What a fabulous park.'"

She's still asking the community for help.

"We still need in-kind work done," she said. "So anyone who could help with that, we would appreciate it."

Frederick has a lot of faith in the people of her community.

"You have to depend on the community for help - and they do help - especially when it comes to improving their surroundings," she said.

Of course, Frederick knows this first-hand.

"If it hadn't been for help from all sectors of the community, I'd still be at a booth selling Cokes for new playground equipment."