EAST ST. LOUIS – When the East St. Louis Community Tennis Association faced a critical safety issue, Ameren Illinois volunteers stepped in to help. The outdated lighting fixtures around the newly resurfaced Al Penelton tennis courts in Lincoln Park were hanging precariously from nearly 50-year-old poles, posing a potential hazard. Scott Stinson, president of the tennis association, recognized the imminent danger and reached out to Ameren Illinois for assistance.
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Safety is a core value at Ameren Illinois, and the company responded promptly. Luke Wollin, vice president for Electric Operations and Distribution at Ameren Illinois and an avid tennis player, oversaw the project.
"East St. Louis has a beautiful tennis facility that it put in a few years ago and just had the three courts resurfaced," Wollin said. "However, the light standards and poles have been here close to 50 years. The lights no longer work and have become a public safety hazard. Safety is a core Ameren value. We decided to donate some of our time to use our trucks to pull these old poles out to make it safe and make the area look nicer for the City of East St. Louis."
Mike Blackburn, superintendent of Electric Operations, and Darren Hess, supervisor of Electric Operations, utilized a two-man bucket truck to safely remove the lights and lower them to the ground.
Groundmen Bobby Davis and Craig Deiters assisted in the operation. The team faced a minor delay due to wasp nests in the old lights but successfully completed the task.
Joe Lewis, Jr., vice president of the East St. Louis Community Tennis Association, expressed his gratitude for the timely intervention.
"The fixtures are coming down and the poles are being removed just ahead of the tournament and when the kids come out for lessons on Saturday and Sunday," Lewis said. "This will look nice. Our goal is to replace the lights in time with new poles and fixtures that will mirror the beauty of our courts."
The removal of the hazardous lights and poles not only ensures the safety of the community but also enhances the aesthetic appeal of the tennis courts, making them ready for upcoming events and daily use.
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