Degraded clay tennis courts on Church Street in Tisbury are slated for a $249,650 revitalization this fall after the town signed a contract with Cape and Island Tennis and Track. The project got the green light after Tisbury’s open space and recreation committee recommended to the select board that the work be done. A smaller, $49,850 project will take place at the Lake Street tennis courts.
Open space and recreation committee chair Cheryl Doble told The Times the work slated for the Church Street courts is substantial; however, the Lake Street courts, which are asphalt, just need some cracks sealed and a finish coat applied to the court surface. The location of the cracks, she noted, isn’t detrimental to playing on the courts. Those courts are seeing a lot of action lately, as the West Chop Club has provided its tennis pros for free summer clinics there. The clinics, which are held on Tuesdays and Thursdays, began June 28, and will run until August 25. Two adult clinics happen in the mornings, and three kids’ clinics happen in the afternoons of those days. The clinics are reserved for Tisbury residents, Doble said.
Open space and recreation committee member James Burrows, who spearheaded the clinics idea with West Chop tennis director David McNamera, said all the feedback thus far on the clinics has been positive.
“The community support has been great,” McNamera said. “It’s been a huge success.”
Last week McNamera said the clinics served about 144 people. He said the clinics represent a “great opportunity” for the West Chop Club “to give back to the community.”
Doble said ultimately, pickleball courts will be folded in at Lake Street too. Burrows said Church Street will undergo “a huge upgrade” that will include not only new courts, but revamped landscaping and parking.
In 2020, the select board created a stir when word spread the town was considering a parking lot instead of fixing the courts, and a Zoom meeting filled with people calling for improved courts. Select board members said they had no idea where residents got that idea, even though they had floated it months earlier.
Doble said the town was fortunate to land a specialized contractor for the work, because the pandemic has increased interest in outdoor tennis, and that has put more demands on the companies that build and maintain outdoor courts.
$250,000 is very excessive for a two court repair. I just built a new clay on the island for $90,000. A repair should only be about $40,000 per court, not $125,000 per court. Get some other estimates
If only we had people of your caliber running things.
Have you submitted a $90,000 bid?
Did the contractor you used have immigrant labor.
Have all the requirements for government contracts.
Has the person you used ever done any work for the government?
There are contractors and there are real contractors.
Private clay courts see very little use.
$90,000 will last a few years.
Mark, I could be wrong, but it is my belief that the town had to solicit at least 3 bids before awarding the contract.
Could anyone clarify that or tell me if I am wrong ?
Thanks.
250 k seems like a lot of money, but at least no one is suing anyone.
I used to play on those courts.
While I haven’t played tennis in years, I am happy to contribute my tax dollars to this project.
I hope many people take advantage of this and have some good, clean fun and get some exercise.
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