The Nelson Tennis Club is facing expensive repairs after it was vandalized earlier this week.
Graffiti now defaces the clubhouse, nearby paths and most of the basketball court. The tennis and pickleball courts were locked and not damaged.
Club president Angus Glass said it is a sad time for the facility and its members. He added the graffiti, which cannot be shown by the Nelson Star due to its vulgar and racist content, is in areas frequented by children.
“So many volunteers have put so much time and effort into making that a real multi-use facility. … Just to see the the graffiti, it’s saddening, and you kind of just move on and try and deal with it.”
Vice-president Keith Bridger said the club can repaint over some of the graffiti, but others sections like the basketball court will require an entirely new paint job he said will be expensive.
The Nelson Police Department said in a statement it had received a report about the vandalism on March 25.
“The damage caused by this act of vandalism is extensive, affecting multiple areas of the tennis club. The Nelson Police Department is actively investigating this incident. Our officers are working diligently to identify those responsible for this destructive act.”
The club was a triumph of community co-operation when it first opened above L.V. Rogers in 2018.
Funded by School District 8, Columbia Basin Trust and in-kind donations from local construction companies, the Nelson Tennis Club was conceived and built by volunteers in less than a year after it was first pitched.
The two volunteers credited with spearheading the club’s construction, Bridger and Rob Wright, were chosen as the Nelson Star’s Citizens of the Year in 2021 shortly after Wright passed away.
Anyone with information about the vandalism is asked to contact NPD at 250-354-3919 or Crimestoppers at 1-800-222-8477.
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