Tucked away off of Rhoades Road North in Winlock, Winolequa Memorial Park now has a pair of new basketball hoops thanks to donations from a pair of local businesses.
Winlock’s Elevated Dirtworks along with Roy Talbott of Whistle Stop Investments LLC donated $5,000 for the two new hoops, along with the concrete and dirt needed to install them.
While the basketball court isn’t a full-length court, there is still enough room for people to use both hoops at the same time.
They’ve also cleared a lot of brush overgrowth from the north end of the park near the basketball court and have rearranged log benches they uncovered while removing the overgrowth.
It’s not the only park improvement they have planned, as Talbott explained when The Chronicle visited the park on Aug. 3.
“We would like to paint the court and work on the bleachers as well,” Talbott said.
He added they planned on finishing cleaning up around the bases of the new basketball hoops. Additionally, plans are in the works for a ribbon-cutting event to celebrate the new hoops, which Talbott hopes to hold later this month.
Using the log benches they’ve rearranged, he wants to get a projector and hold a “movie in the park” night, along with playing basketball of course.
He initially wanted to have a bonfire as well, using the fire pit made at the park by Eagle Scout Dylan Norwood in 2019, but with the countywide burn ban currently in effect, he may just have to settle for the movie.
Talbott pitched his ribbon cutting idea to the Winlock City Council during their meeting on Monday, Aug. 10, where he explained he planned on either showing Disney’s original animated “Lion King” or “Aladdin” movies from the 1990s.
Councilors liked the idea, but they wanted to know who was officially sponsoring the event and ensure Talbott had proper insurance to host a public event such as a ribbon cutting.
Talbott stated he would work on getting those lined up.
