'This is going to change thousands of lives'

SPIRIT LAKE — A new era is about to dawn for Timberlake Senior High School, student athletes and youth in the Spirit Lake and Athol communities.

Silverwood Theme Park has donated $200,000 to Timberlake to build an indoor recreational sports field on its campus. The facility would be open to students as well Little Leagues, parks and rec athletes and other local sports teams and players in need of a year-round green space.

"Spring sports are such a struggle for us to use the field," said Principal Ryne Eberlin, who has been at the helm of Timberlake for seven years.

“My first year, I realized right away that we are in the snowbelt,” he said Wednesday. "I’m from St. Maries, but it doesn’t snow this much even in St. Maries. That first spring, we didn’t get outside to really have any sort of practice till April."

Some kind of indoor sporting facility has been on his mind through the years, but other projects and needs took precedence as time marched on.

Eberlin said he decided last summer the time had come to get serious about this project.

“Our kids don’t have the same opportunities as you do in Coeur d’Alene,” he said.

He said he's had several positive meetings with local leaders who have been receptive to helping make this dream come true. It was Jan. 19 when he met with Silverwood leadership and was told the good news about the donation.

"This is going to change thousands of lives in the years to come," Eberlin said. "It’s a significant contribution.”

He said the hopes are to construct a 120-foot-by-80-foot structure south of the track on the west side of the school grounds.

"The size and final details are contingent on our fundraising goals being met," Eberlin said. "Our vision is to have batting cages that can be retracted so the space can serve multiple purposes for our Timberlake student athletes and youth in the Spirit Lake and Athol areas."

He said the donation from Silverwood is huge in several ways. 

"We have a really good relationship with Silverwood," he said. "A lot of our kids work there, so now they get to see that Silverwood is also going to take care of where they go to school, so that’s really cool."

Silverwood Chief Operating Officer Paul Norton noted the necessity of this project.

"This area is growing so, so much,” he said. “They need this new facility for the growth.”

He said the theme park is happy to give back to the local community that gives so much to Silverwood.

"It comes hand in hand. They work with us, we work with them. We’re happy to partner with them," Norton said. “We’re all one big family out there."

Michelle Thompson, chair of the Lakeland School Board, said she thinks it's a phenomenal idea, especially since it won't be funded by taxpayer dollars.

"I think that’s significant," she said. "And the fact that the community is rallying around the school really shows you that the community is always willing to step up, and I think that’s significant as well."

Ramona Grissom, school board trustee, said she was elated when she heard the news.

“I see it as a generational blessing,” she said. "It won’t only be this generation of kids, but many generations of kids to come. My son, who is 40, was one of the first graduating classes here, so to see the evolution in the community’s been awesome. Silverwood is a great neighbor."

Eberlin said he expects the project will cost a total of $550,000-$600,000. He is waiting for other donations and pledges to come in, but welcomes support from local businesses and community members who want to contribute to the project. If enough funding is secured and all goes well, bids could go out to the community as soon as February, construction could begin in April and the facility could be completed this summer.

Email Eberlin at ryne.eberlin@lakeland272.org for details on how to donate.

    Silverwood leadership and representatives from Timberlake High and the Lakeland Joint School District gather in Timberlake's gym Wednesday to celebrate a gift of $200,000 from Silverwood to Timberlake to construct an indoor recreational facility that could break ground as early as this spring. Front row, from left: Lynn Paslay, Michelle Thompson, Ryne Eberlin, Paul Norton, Juston Henry and Michael Thompson. Back row, from left: Bob Jones, Jessica Grantham, Randi Bain, Ramona Grissom and Michele Sheets.
  

Silverwood Theme Park has donated $200,000 to Timberlake Senior High School to build an indoor recreational sports field on its campus, a rendering of which is seen here. The facility would be open to students as well as little leaguers, parks and rec athletes and other local sports teams and players.