CHULA VISTA, Calif. (KGTV) - The Parkway Rec Center in Chula Vista is getting a major upgrade in time for the summer season, as workers are putting the finishing touches on a new pool deck, refinished basketball court and ADA-compliant bathrooms.
"Just walking in and seeing how it brightens up the entire facility, it's like a grand new gym for us," said Tim Farmer, with the city's Recreation Department.
The most noticeable change will be on the basketball court. The dark, dingy hardwood is now a court that is bright and shiny.
The most amazing part is it's the same wood, just refinished.
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"It looked like a dungeon in here," said Farmer.
Chula Vista company Restoration Hardware handled the court. Kevin Clough and his team stripped about 1/8th of an inch of the old finish off the wood, taking it down to the original maple. Then they applied a new coat of fresh finish. The difference is night and day.
"It's old wood, old growth, but it's pretty," Clough said.
The court has a full-size college court and a volleyball court painted on it lengthwise. Crossing that are three smaller volleyball courts and two high school-sized basketball courts.
To make extra room, they took out the wooden bleachers on the side of the gym.
It's a project Clough takes a lot of pride in. He took over the business from his grandfather and father. They worked on courts as prestigious as UCLA's Pauley Pavilion, SDSU's Viejas Arena and USD's Jenny Craig Pavilion, as well as several other major college courts across California.
Clough wanted to make sure the rec center court in his hometown was as nice as any of those.
The city hopes to have all renovations done by the start of July, which is Parks and Rec month across the country.
