Doug,
We're talking about enough problems that the town deemed the courts dangerous and closed them down last year. There is a good story here about how the town doesn't take care of it's facilities. Check out the Wapping Tennis courts too, they will be next.

Hi ROC,

There may be a story there at some level but this site isn't meant to be political per se. Let's try to solve the problem. Are the courts under the supervision of public works or the schools? If we can figure that out, I think we can find the right people to talk to.

It's possible that the maintenance of these courts was cut from the budget.

Hi Doug,
I totally agree on this being a non-political tool. I see this being used by people like myself, reporting a need, and then watchers like you (great idea for JI to do this), to shed light, and perhaps even assist in the actions that need to be taken to fix the need.

These courts are really part of the middle school campus, but due to the setup in SW, they fall under public works.
The Recreation Dept. did their due diligence by closing them down, fearing someone would get injured. Then public works took a look at what it would take to fix them dollar-wise and came up 10K short.

That's where it stands now. In the meantime, a recreation asset is sitting idle, the middle school can't use them, tennis players in town can't use them, and we're heading into fall, so in all likelihood, another year will pass by.

That's the basis of what I'd see for a story in the JI, no fingerpointing, just informing people why they are closed and why they haven't been fixed.

Thanks!

Fair enough, ROC, and thanks for the support here.

I'm not sure if a story in the paper would solve the funding issue. Sounds like the decision was made by someone who has to balance a budget.

Is there another solution here? Is the demand such that a fundraiser might accomplish the task? What about the high school tennis teams? Maybe they'd be willing to do a car wash or something...

I'll pass this on to the South Windsor reporter either way.

Hey there, ROC... are the courts still a wreck? Tennis season is around the corner for the high school squads. Maybe the coach will be willing to get his players out there to do a few car washes to raise money... to your knowledge, has anyone compiled an estimate on the cost of restoring the courts?

Acknowledged by the JI

Hi ROC ,
Any movement on the courts?

Courts are in the final stages of being repaired.

fantastic... glad you stuck with it.
-doug

Would make a nice article, once it's all done. Parks and Recreation Department are seeing this through to completion.

The courts are finished, and came out great! Surface is perfect, and the shrubs surrounding the courts are down.

The courts are finished, and came out great! Surface is perfect, and the shrubs surrounding the courts are down.

The courts are finished, and came out great! Surface is perfect, and the shrubs surrounding the courts are down.

The courts are finished, and came out great! Surface is perfect, and the shrubs surrounding the courts are down.

The courts are finished, and came out great! Surface is perfect, and the shrubs surrounding the courts are down.

That's excellent, ROC. Glad to see they got around to it, if it was 2-3 budget cycles later.

The courts are finished, and came out great! Surface is perfect, and the shrubs surrounding the courts are down.

The courts are finished, and came out great! Surface is perfect, and the shrubs surrounding the courts are down.

Through the fence

Hiding bushes have been removed.

Congratulations. Now on to the other neighborhood "town mandated" tennis courts, when neighborhoods were built....Margaret Drive, for example.