Town refurbishes basketball gymnasium in community center

PENCE, Wis. –– The town of Pence has something that is very old but is also new.

It is the renovated, refurbished and refinished basketball gymnasium in the Pence Community Center.

Believed to have been built in 1944, the gym was considered something special for its time and even had the narrow lanes with a circular-lined top that made it look like a key. The narrow lanes with the round top first came into being in the 1920s.

Deke Routheaux, who worked on the resurfacing and renovating, along with his son, Tim, and wife, Debbie, said this is how the basketball term "top of the key" came into being. Routheaux said the wider lanes came to basketball courts in 1957.

The gym was a popular spot for elementary basketball games, tournaments and for the townspeople of Pence to play a game of hoops, especially the younger kids.

Many other people in the area never knew Pence had a gym in the middle of town.

"There was no other place to play basketball between Mellen and Hurley," Routheaux said.

But in 72 years, the gym had not been maintained or resurfaced. If a gym floor is not taken care of, it deteriorates.

Mike Paternoster, Pence town chairman, said the floor surface became real slippery and Routheaux said it was becoming dangerous to play on. The gym developed a run-down look.

"The last couple of years, the other gyms were booked with the older players and the kids had no place else to go, but they still wanted to play," Paternoster said.

Routheaux said players were having to travel to the community building in Ironwood Township to play basketball.

Routheaux played some basketball in the gym this past winter with C.J. Sukanen and though he thought it was in rough shape, he still saw potential in it. He approached Paternoster with the idea of doing a renovation of the gym. He told Paternoster he thought the time was right to do something special for the community, especially for the young kids.

"It was also the challenge of turning a 72-year old building into something new," Routheaux said.

Paternoster had discussed the gym renovation for years with supervisors Joe Olson and George Nasi. He said there was money in the recreation budget and Routheaux and his work team would make the gym "sparkle."

The project became a go.

Routheaux had been a long-time basketball coach at Gogebic Community College, but this time he had a different team to coach. He and his son sanded the floor, sealed it, painted, stained a three-point line and made precise lines and graphics.

Ann Marie Batiste, who had done excellent center court logos in Ironwood and Bessemer, was brought in to create a logo and Deb Routheaux added the finishing touches.

"The gym has been real popular with the young kids, but without a doubt, they will be overjoyed with the renovation," Paternoster said. "The gym will get a lot of use this winter."

With the residents of Pence curious and anxious to see the new gym and extra visitors in town for the long Fourth of July weekend, Paternoster said the doors of the Pence Community Center will be open on Sunday and Monday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. for people wishing to view the renovated gym.