The Randolph Park 3 Wall Handball Project continues in Tucson, Arizona, as the World Players of Handball Foundation, along with Handball players in and out of the state, team up to convert out/in-door 4 wall handball courts into a flourishing outdoor 3 wall handball park at the centrally-located Randolph Rec Center. “We are $40,000 away from the funds needed to open this park,” says WPH Executive Director. “Although the cement is laid, the walls painted… we need help completing the final touches and will need just about forty-thousand more dollars to get this done.”
The WPH is reaching out to the community to make donations toward the project (all tax deductible) and is extremely happy with the out of town support. “We have had huge donations come in from out of the city and state, and each time this happens it really takes us all back, in a positive way. I’ve never been more impressed with the handball community than I am right now,” claims Vincent. “We plan a mid November grand opening if we can secure these final funds.”
You can be apart of the WPH Randolph Lifetime “Legacy” Membership with a brick/plaque with your name ascribed on show court #1 by making a donation of $500 or more! The WPH thanks those that entered the “Legacy” plateau in October: Chris Watkins, Ashley Moler/Shorty Ruiz, Scott Cleveland, Doyle Arnett, R & A CPA’s in Honor of Charles Charvoz, The Natale/Porter Family’s, and Bob Durazo. The list of “Legacy” members is vast and will be published and acknowledged after all funds have been raised.
To make a tax deductible donation, please contact the WPH.
Please send your generous gifts through PayPal (HERE) or by visiting this URL: paypal.me/randolph3wall. Mailing checks to: WPH, 3602 E Ft Lowell Rd, Tucson, AZ, 85716 and Earmarked: Randolph Project.
For more information, please contact World Players of Handball Executive Director David Vincent at dave.vincent@wphlive.tv or World Players of Handball Development Director David Fink at david.fink@wphlive.tv. For more information on the World Players of Handball, please visit wphlive.tv
RANDOLPH PARK 3 WALL COURT PROJECT NOTES AND UPDATE:
Over the weekend, cement was laid on the courts and the facility is beginning to look like the park that designers intended. WPH reporter, Dave Fink, gathered stats about the morning’s pour: 100 cubic yards of concrete, 400,000 pounds of cement; weighing 150 pounds per cubic square foot; floating the concrete three times to fill all voids. It takes 27 days for the concrete to cure.
IN JULY OF 2019, THIS IS WHAT RANDOLPH PARK LOOKED LIKE: (CLICK TO EXPAND)
Concerns: We are past the half-way mark for money raised, but still have a ways to go. If you know of any local or out of town players that would like to have a community accessible court complex that can benefit the youth, young adults, and future/current players, that also want the benefit of a tax donation, please give them our contact information or vice versa! Ask us about becoming a Randolph Lifetime Legacy Supporter. Chris Watkins from Southern California just made a substantial sized donation; following suit with other generous donors like Carl Porter, Doyle Arnett, Jim Verhaeghe, Pete Jorgenson and Alex Trujillo, to name just a few. In all, there has been THOUSANDS of dollars raised for this project, but more support is needed to complete the final touches.
RANDOLPH PARK MIDWAY THROUGH THE PROJECT: (CLICK TO EXPAND)
Keep those gifts coming! We truly appreciate the outpouring of support from the community.
Please send your generous gifts through PayPal (HERE) or by visiting this URL: paypal.me/randolph3wall. Mailing checks to: WPH, 3561 E. Sunrise Dr. Suite 125, Tucson, AZ, 85718 and Earmarked: Randolph Project.
For more information, please contact World Players of Handball Executive Director David Vincent at dave.vincent@wphlive.tv or World Players of Handball Development Director David Fink at david.fink@wphlive.tv. For more information on the World Players of Handball, please visit wphlive.tv
Tucson, AZ. WPH Press, 9/5/19- The Tucson handball community and the World Players of Handball have finalized plans with the City of Tucson’s Parks and Recreation Department on a project to convert five existing 4-Wall outdoor courts to 3-Wall. The existing courts are part of an underutilized 10-court facility in the geographic center of a community of approximately one million citizens. The goal of the planned improvements will be to not only increase access and utilization of the complex for the Tucson community, including youth development programs, but also provide additional tournament capacity for both small and big ball handball events.
EDITOR’S NOTE: Only half of the funding has been secured for this project, as the WPH seeks donations or professional services to complete the project. Below, you will find ways of giving, plus contact information for the World Players of Handball. Thank you for your gift, in advance!
Construction officially started on the groundbreaking project on Wednesday, September 4. Co-WPH Randolph engineer Jeff Healm met with construction foreman Rick Hamilton (pictured) on the first week on construction to finalize plans for the fence removal before the back walls are removed in the next two weeks, while Foreman Hamilton and his team worked on the electrical components of the 4-Wall to 3-Wall conversion.
“This is going to be a sequential project and we expect the project to be completed on October 18,” stated WPH project liaison and co-project engineer Benny Young. “Because of the scope of the project and various requirements, the cost of the project has increased substantially. We need as much financial assistance as possible to complete this project, so we need all handball players and friends to contribute.”
“This is just about the most special project I’ve seen in handball,” stated Randolph platinum donor Doug Clark. “This is going to make such a huge impact on Tucson handball for generations. In order for this project to be completed and for us to hold junior programs and tournaments on these courts, we need the handball community and local Tucson community to step up.”
The sketch illustrates the intended scope of the renovations. The intention is primarily to convert the five existing south facing courts from 4-Wall (enclosed) to 3-Wall (open in rear) by removing the back panels and adding additional concrete flooring/slab beyond the current back walls. Fencing and lighting improvements will be included to create a protected and safe area of play. Just outside the playable area, there will be a shade structure and room for bleachers within a beautiful grassy area, which will also provide space for picnics and barbecues, etc.
This is a terrific location in the northeast corner of Tucson’s principal mid-town park and golf/tennis/recreation center complex. It is ideal for both casual and tournament play, given the proximity of supporting commercial, retail, and lodging – as well as the availability of good access via the public transportation system. The project renovations are set to be completed during the fall of 2019.
The WPH is a 501C-3 headquartered in Tucson and runs a pro tour, which attracts players/participants both nationally and internationally. In addition to the WPH, there are two other cooperating handball organizations also located in Tucson, including: the United States Handball Association (USHA) – which administers amateur tournaments across the USA; and the Fred Lewis Foundation (which provides a development program for Tucson youth utilizing handball). Arizona Outdoor Racquetball has also expressed interest in the project and eventually using the courts for major events and play.
“The project is signed, sealed, and delivered, and we could not be more excited about it,” beamed WPH board members and co-project engineer Benny Young.
“We’ve been kicking around this idea for 10 years and in the past year the project started to come together,” stated WPH board member and co-project engineer Jeff Healam. “We’ve assembled a fantastic team to start the project right around Labor Day, and while no project is flawless, we expect this one to be close to it. These 3-Wall courts are going to provide our community with world-class 3-Wall courts and an incredible facility for juniors and Tucsonans to play handball. We’re going to have a barbeque pit and a grass area for fans, making this complex one of the most attractive handball destinations in the country.”
“The Randolph Recreation Center 3-Wall Court Complex will be one of the most significant and impacting initiatives in Tucson since Carl Porter stepped up and brought the USHA to the area,” stated WPH Development Director David Fink. “The Randolph Recreation Center 3-Wall Court Complex will be a spectacular 3-Wall court complex in central Tucson that will sit less than a half a mile from the Tucson Zoo, Randolph Golf Curses, and Hi Corbett Field and just two miles from the University of Arizona in central Tucson, accessible to thousands of potential new players. We cannot wait!”
Check out the slides below to see the ongoing progress:
In order to provide sufficient funds for the improvements, we are requesting that our members/friends and the larger handball community consider contributing toward the associated costs. All donations will be tax deductible and greatly appreciated.
Keep those gifts coming! We truly appreciate the outpouring of support from the community.
Please send your generous gifts through PayPal (HERE) or by visiting this URL: paypal.me/randolph3wall. Mailing checks to: WPH, 3561 E. Sunrise Dr. Suite 125, Tucson, AZ, 85718 and Earmarked: Randolph Project.
For more information, please contact World Players of Handball Executive Director David Vincent at dave.vincent@wphlive.tv or World Players of Handball Development Director David Fink at david.fink@wphlive.tv. For more information on the World Players of Handball, please visit wphlive.tv
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