Scout renovates Millett Field basketball court for Eagle Scout Project in Chehalis

Local hoopers now have a newly renovated place to play thanks to an Eagle Scout service project led by Carter Culletto, a Life Scout with Chehalis Troop 373.

The project transformed the aging Millett Field basketball court into a revitalized recreation space featuring a refurbished basketball court and two new pickleball courts.

For years, Millett Field served as a gathering place for local children and families. Over time, however, the court fell into disrepair. Cracks spread across the playing surface, weeds grew through the pavement and an old, broken hoop made the court unsafe to use.

Knowing how important it is for kids to have a safe outdoor place to play, Culletto set out to restore the court and make it a fun place to gather once again.

“I always really loved playing basketball growing up,” Culletto said in a news release. “It’s something that I really wanted for other kids to have as well, so this project was my way of sharing that love with people in my community.”

Renovating the court was a major undertaking. Volunteers cleared overgrown weeds, cleaned and filled cracks in the pavement, ground down the repaired surface, applied new resurfacer and court paint, and repainted the basketball court lines.

To make the most of the available space, the team also striped lines for two pickleball courts on either side of the basketball court.

The project was made possible through generous donations of materials, equipment, funding, and volunteer labor from local businesses, organizations and community members.

“I’m incredibly grateful to everyone who helped make this project possible,” Culletto said in the release. “Twin Cities Rotary was the first to contribute. Their donations were so generous and when we fell short in our budget, they stepped up. Plus Rotarians helped pull weeds and seal concrete. Parks and Rec provided equipment, helped transport the large barrels of resurfacer, and anything else we needed. And SportMaster Portland donated all the red paint, which was obviously a major contribution.”

The renovated court is now open to the public and provides a safe space for basketball, pickleball, and outdoor recreation.

“My hope is that this will continue to be a place where kids make memories, families spend time together, and the community comes together for years to come,” Culletto said.

It is located off of Southwest Chehalis Avenue, near Southwest Third Street.

Here’s a brief history of the property from the City of Chehalis: “In 1898, the Millett family gave to the city 3.3 acres of land at Chehalis Avenue and Third Street for park purposes. This was developed into a baseball field and was home of the Chehalis semi-pro team from 1906 to 1949. It was then home for a Babe Ruth program from 1950 to 1972. It was subsequently used as a main softball slowpitch field for a brief period.

The grandstands were removed in 1979 as they were rotting and becoming a public hazard.”