High School student plans senior project to renew basketball at Harmon Field

TRYON — A high school junior is looking ahead to his senior project next year, with plans to renovate the open-air basketball gym at Harmon Field in Tryon.

Mason Lassiter attends the Polk County Early College, and is beginning to raise funds to renew the park’s basketball courts, which have fallen in disarray. Some of the six goals are broken and none currently have nets.

Lassiter says he has been playing pick-up ball there since he has lived in Tryon the past eight years.

“The senior project is to benefit the community, so I thought, not only will this benefit the community, it will benefit me as well,” Lassiter said this week.

The high school student approached the Harmon Field Board of Supervisors last week to tell them his plans.

Lassiter said some of the things he would like to get done are to replace the floor and basketball goals, as well as add a trash can and a water fountain.

He also told the board he wants someone to paint a mural with something that really represents what Tryon stands for, like horses or Nina Simone.

He said he has already started a spreadsheet for a budget, and is meeting with potential donors for his project soon, including Mark Bellissimo and Roger Smith with Tryon International Equestrian Center.

“I’ve been playing on the court ever since I moved here,” Lassiter said. “The concrete isn’t great. It’s easy to slip and fall on it. It lacks luster and it’s not a safe place to play. Not many people come out here anymore.”

Harmon Field Board members were enthusiastic about the project.

“I think it’s a great project,” Harmon Field Vice Chair Lindy Buss said during the meeting last week.

Lassiter also asked Harmon Field to contribute to his project to get the courts back in playing condition. Harmon Field met last week to discuss a budget for approximately $109,000 the board recently discovered it had in fund balance.

Lassiter said he has gotten quotes on new flex court flooring, which is $24,000. Concrete is a little less, he said.

Lassiter told the board last week that the total estimate, including a new floor, a trash can, a couple of benches, a water fountain and new goals, is around $34,000.

A GoFundMe page has been set up for Lassiter’s project to raise money at https://www.gofundme.com/harmon-field-basketball-court?pc=em_co_shareflow_m&rcid=r01-153822535955-68edb2c2887f40cf.

 

For more information, email Lassiter at masonlassiter.2002@gmail.com. Checks can also be dropped off at the Polk County Early College in Columbus, made out to Mason Lassiter.