Southington HS' Depleted Tennis Courts Get Financial Boost

SOUTHINGTON, CT — Southington High School's troubled tennis courts recently received a financial boost when the finance bard allocated some cash toward a major court project.

The Southington Board of Finance on Nov. 13 unanimously voted to transfer $78,228 in leftover funding from road paving back to the local school system.

Those dollars would, then, go toward hiring an engineer to come up with a plan to remediate the deteriorating tennis court situation at SHS.

Home to SHS' boys and girls tennis squads, two of the seven courts at the school are considered unplayable, according to school officials.

The problem isn't with the surface of the hard courts, school officials have said, but the area below the surface, which is unstable and leads to cracks.

Plus, court dimensions are not up to par with United States Tennis Association standards and there is a lack of handicap-accessible seating for spectators.

Over the summer, the Southington Board of Education decided, by consensus, to work with the town to try and find a solution.

That happened last month when town and school officials attended the finance board meeting to discuss the situation.

SHS Athletic Director Steve Risser said years of freezing and thawing at the courts have taken a toll, with two courts completely shut down. He said the nets are down on all of the courts.

As for the tennis season, Risser said the SHS tennis teams have no place to play/practice in town.

According to Risser, the $78,000 figure is needed because the job is a more complicated one for the engineering firm hired by school officials.

He said the courts must be moved to another location because there is insufficient space to make them abide by USTA standards.

Southington finance board member Kevin Beaudoin pointed out the cracks are worsening and if players continue to play on it, they could risk injury.

Beaudoin said the courts get good use from the public and the concern is for a possible lawsuit should people play on the damaged courts and get hurt.

Following the finance board's discussion, members unanimously approved the fiscal transfer funding the tennis court study.

In an update to the Southington Town Council on Nov. 25, Southington Town Manager Alex Ricciardone said a natural gas line near the current courts further complicates matters.

Plus, Ricciardone said, the courts' lack of adherence to USTA standards means Southington High School cannot host special tournaments.

For the minutes of the Nov. 13 Southington Board of Finance meeting, click on this link.

For the minutes of the Nov. 25 Southington Town Council meeting, click on this link.

From Aug. 21: 'This Southington HS Athletics Facility Needs An Overhaul: BoE'