The Magnolia Community Foundation is kicking off a $1.5 million campaign in order to raise funds to begin construction on an Olympic-sized outdoor pool and eight tennis courts at Unity Park.

The project to build a recreational center with a pool and tennis courts was put in place January 2011 by the Magnolia Community Foundation. In June the City of Magnolia and Magnolia ISD each approved an interlocal agreement for 3.087 acres of land located at the Alpha Academy in order to build the recreational center.

Foundation President Deborah Rose Miller said the foundation is going to put off building the 15,000-square-foot recreational center until grant money becomes available through the state. However, the tennis courts and swimming pool are at the forefront.

The facility is set to be constructed at the site of the retention pond at Alpha Academy, since Alpha Academy now shares a retention pond with Unity Park.

According to Miller, the facility, including tennis courts and swimming pool, would meet the needs of Unity Park, YMCA and Magnolia area schools.

Randy Ortwein, a local Magnolia resident and current president of the Houston Tennis Association, explained that recent demographics show that there are about 138,000 residents within a 10-mile radius of Unity Park. He said that the closest comparable facilities are 20 miles away from the area. 

“These community tennis facilities are much needed in our community,” he said.

The tennis courts would include four Quickstart courts for age 10 and under tennis players.

In addition, some of the first plans of the community pool will be to provide free swim lessons for area children, according to the Magnolia Community Foundation.

“Montgomery County has one of the highest adolescent drowning rates in the state and free swim lessons could reduce these statistics dramatically,” the foundation stated.

Miller said when funds are available the actual date of construction will be set, but the goal is to have the pool and tennis courts up and running by the summer of 2013  She added that the construction phase is about six months.

Naming rights to the complex, recreation center and swimming pool have already begun. 

In June, the Magnolia Community Foundation had already received two donations for the tennis courts and pool totaling $350,000. Now, the foundation is ready to kick off its campaign to raise a total of $1.5 million in order to break ground for the pool and tennis courts.

For more information about the Magnolia community Foundation, visit magnoliacommunityfoundation.org.

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