RAPID CITY - For three afternoons each week, Corky Foley runs tennis drills at Wilson Park with too many girls on only two tennis courts next to Wilson Elementary School and Wilson Park.

"We have a growing middle school program that has no place to grow," said Foley, who coordinates a middle school after-school tennis program sponsored by a grant from the United States Tennis Association and the Black Hills Tennis Association.

Middle school tennis teams work around the high school teams' schedules to meet for matches at Sioux Park.

"The kids only get to spread out during matches and don't get a lot of game practice," Foley said.

That could change if the city and the Rapid City School District can reach an agreement on a joint 12-court tennis complex near Parkview Swimming Pool on Parkview Drive.

Two years ago, the Black Hills Tennis Association successfully lobbied the city for a six-court, lighted, fenced complex at Parkview. The city allocated $480,000 of 2012 funds to build the complex in 2008.

For residents living south of Omaha Street and east of the gap, Wilson's two courts are the only public tennis courts. The area lost three tennis courts at South Middle School when a community-center gymnasium was built four years ago. The gym is a shared-use facility built by the city and maintained by the school district. City and school-district activities are held in the gym.

"A new complex would provide more recreation for the southeast area of Rapid City," said Annie Bussler, a member of the local tennis association who has been involved with girls tennis at Rapid City Central for several years.

The new complex will give the Central tennis program a new home, which it needs, according to Bussler.

Central's tennis teams use the six courts at Memorial Park and six courts at North, but there are issues with the aging Memorial Park courts that make them less than favorable, according to Bussler.

"Memorial Park is not a wholesome location for our students to have to play tennis," Bussler said.

With the courts located along two busy streets, players are exposed to all kinds of noise and fumes, she said.

On a fairly regular basis, students and coaches contend with intoxicated individuals, people passed out on the courts, and damage to nets and fencing, Bussler said.

"And, if we stay late enough, we get the turnaround crowd (off Eighth Street)," she said.

One large complex would make it easier for coaches to supervise students during practice and tournaments, according to Central activities director Darren Paulson.

A tennis complex similar to the 12-court complex at Sioux Park would also mean more tournaments scheduled in the city, Bussler said.

With a softball complex also on the Parkview site, the city has enough room for six courts - but just barely.

"It's not an ideal situation, but it will work," city Parks and Recreation director Jerry Cole said. Just west of the Parkview complex are 45 acres the school district owns. The land is being held in reserve as a potential expansion site as the city continues to grow to the south.

The school district does not have specific plans for the property, but locating an elementary, middle or even a high school on the site has been mentioned.

With a history of successful joint projects, the city suggested two years ago expanding the project to a 12-court complex by using some of the district's property for the courts and the necessary parking. The school district would kick in $480,000 to add the six extra courts.

"To me it's a no brainer," Wes Storm said. Storm is a member of the school board and also sits on the city's parks and recreation board. "It's the best use of community money when we share facilities."

But, district officials have yet to agree with the project.

"We have to make sure that we're putting it in the right place," school board president Sheryl Kirkeby said.

The school district has to be careful not to commit property that might be needed in the future when a school is located on the site, she said.

At least one board member, Doug Kinniburgh would like to see more expansion closer to Central High School, either at Memorial Park or North Middle School, so kids don't have to travel so far for tennis practices.

Expanding the North tennis complex to 12 courts would mean removing the six existing courts to build a new complex, which wouldn't save any money, Kirkeby said.

The school district has asked the city to split the cost of a site plan for its property east of Minnesota Street. The plan should show how much room it will take for a school and corresponding facilities.

"We have a lot of land over there, but we have to use it right," Kirkeby said.

For Cole, there's not much to consider. The city council designated the 2012 funds for courts at Parkview, which Cole wanted to open in the spring of 2008. The deadline for that to happen passed several months ago, he said.

But with or without a joint project, the city will build six tennis courts at Parkview next year, Cole said.

"We're going to go ahead and plan for six courts if the school property isn't available," he said. "That was the original intent."

Contact Andrea Cook at 394-8423 or andrea.cook@rapidcityjournal.com