SCHENECTADY — Exciting news for tennis enthusiasts in Schenectady! The city is gearing up to refurbish the tennis court complex located in Central Park. The renovation is expected to be completed just in time for the summer sports season.
In September 2022, the City Council earmarked $500,000 from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds for this project. The renovation work is slated to commence this spring, subject to council approval.
All 17 courts in the complex will undergo a complete makeover. The lower 10 courts will be coated, sealed, and painted, while the upper seven courts will receive the same treatment after milling and fabrication.
The city has received a bid of $671,145 from Carver Construction to execute the project. The contract is pending approval from the city council. The City Development and Planning Committee has forwarded the contract to the entire council for a full vote on Feb. 12.
The facility serves as a regional hub for the United States Tennis Association (USTA) during the summer tournament season.
City Engineer Chris Wallin, during Monday’s meeting, expressed concern over the current state of the courts, which are not suitable for hosting USTA events. He has been collaborating with the USTA for a year to plan these improvements. A USTA engineer even visited from Long Island to evaluate the courts.
Wallin mentioned that the USTA is considering covering the remaining cost of the $671,145 project, beyond the city’s $500,000 ARPA allocation.
“Once the renovation is complete, we’ll have 17 fully functional courts,” Wallin told the council. “We’re on a tight schedule, aiming to finish the work by June to align with the USTA schedule.”
Councilman Damonni Farley questioned Wallin during Monday’s meeting about the feasibility of the June completion date. Wallin assured him that with the USTA’s support, the project should be completed promptly once work begins in April.
“The challenge is that, after paving, the courts need to sit idle for three weeks,” Wallin explained. “So, it’s a race against time.”
Councilman Carl Williams suggested during the meeting that the city should distribute flyers to inform residents about alternative city tennis courts they can use while the Central Park courts are being renovated.
Additional tennis courts are available for public use in Fairview Park and Michigan Avenue Park. The Michigan Avenue tennis courts will also receive additional flag posts as part of the upcoming renovations.
In September, Schenectady introduced the city’s first dedicated pickleball courts at Hillhurst Park, replacing the former tennis and basketball courts.
Disagree: Waste of money that could be better used for improving roads and infrastructure.
Agree: The renovation of Central Park Tennis Courts will provide a much-needed upgrade to the facilities, enhancing the recreational options for the community and promoting an active and healthy lifestyle.
Good punctuation and grammar, agree.
Great news! The renovation of Central Park Tennis Courts will boost community engagement and provide a top-notch sports facility for everyone to enjoy. #ExcitedForUpgrade