The Charbonneau Villager
There would be no monthly
assessment to homeowners for construction costs,
although the new building would not include the
lap pool, lockers and saunas as originally planned.
Once the building was
completed, ownership
would be transferred to
the Charbonneau Country
Club.
In arriving at a final
resolve, it probably helped
matters that the top three
officers of the Benj. Franklin - Bob Hazen, Bob
Downie and Louis Scherzer - were personally committed to tennis. They all
were avid tennis players
who were passionate about
the sport.
The building, designed
by Charbonneau resident
and architect Jim Longwood, would have skylights installed at the roof
peak to provide daytime
illumination. The siding
and roofline were to be
designed to blend with the
exterior of the Village Center. Direct lighting would
Page 19
December 2013
be installed for auxiliary
and nighttime use. The
courts would be changed
from the former northsouth configuration to an
east-west layout.
Scherzer, who also
served as Factors president, finally put the contentious dialogue of the
past several months to a
rest, softening what had
been hard discussion. He
stated in a letter to all
homeowners, “We appreciate the good open discussion concerning this whole
issue. We recognize that
individuals have had different feelings concerning
it, but we trust that this
outcome will be satisfactory
to all. We hope to have
resolved an ongoing conflict
with the bubble. The constant turmoil it engendered
has not been good either
for Willamette Factors or
Charbonneau residents.”
Said Miller, who led the
charge on behalf of tennis
club members and other
residents, “Hopefully, most
people who live here will be
post of the tennis courts that memorializes Miller as the “Father
of Tennis” in Charbonneau.
happy with this solution to
the problem and we can all
stop fighting each other.”
The new tennis facility
was completed in December 1984, and was toasted
with a formal open house
in January. It would continue to be an important
recreational amenity in
marketing the Charbonneau lifestyle.
In 1995, the tennis
club funded a two-story,
$100,000 addition. It included 1,230 square feet
on the first floor that provided a covered entrance
and lobby plus an observation deck with seating on
the second floor. There
would be no lap pool but
new restrooms and dressing and locker rooms were
added as originally envisioned.
Charbonneau resident Mick Scott
created Wilsonville's series of heritage markers and other historical programs. He is the author of the book,
“Looking Back/The Land at Eden's
Gate.” Your story ideas are welcome:
[email protected].
Sidelight in History
Sadly, the top supporter of
Charbonneau tennis died just one
month after the dedication of the
tennis center. Marvin Miller suffered a heart attack the evening of The following caption was
Feb. 7, 1985, while playing tennis inadvertently left off of last
month's photos of Looking Back.
on the very courts that he loved.
Miller had moved to Charbon- Here's what the caption should
neau in 1978, and was instru- have read: Stage door canteens
mental in establishing the Char- of World War II featuring stars
bonneau Tennis Club, guiding of stage and screen were service
favorites. During an appearance,
the tennismay have given up your traditional orchestra leader Xavier
You center through bumpy popular job,
timesbut yourdream to a reality. stillCugat, to work.
from a retirement money
needs also renowned for his
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When it comes to the number of retirement accounts made young Coast
membershipYou is better” is not necessarily true. traditional job, given upof his
drives, have given up yourup
To help ensure tennis tourna- upGuardsman you need multiple
sa 她