By paNOW

City to restore Midtown tennis courts

May 21, 2017 | 9:00 AM

The Midtown tennis courts are getting a major facelift this year.

Prince Albert city council approved the $170,000 restoration project. Originally, the project was to be pushed back until next year, but council decided to get the job done now.

The funds will come out of the Community Services Land Fund. Ward 7 Coun. Dennis Nowoselsky said the restoration was long overdue.

“It used to be one of the prime community recreation facilities in P.A. years ago,” he said. “It’s fallen apart and the reason it’s costing so much now is because it was left for so long. It’s hurt that ward, it’s hurt the kids in that area and hurt the kids and the adults in the whole city.”

He said the city originally pegged the cost at less than $150,000 but now the cost has risen because more work is needed. Nowoselsky also wanted a plug-in for a tennis ball launcher and a place to warm up.

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Ward 3 Coun. Evert Botha, whose ward the courts are in, said he spoke with the director of public works and no one was sure when the tennis courts were last maintained or upgraded. He guessed the last time was probably two decades ago.

He suggested the city look at ways to limit access to these kinds of recreational facilities such as with a mechanical gate that requires a key card.

“I do believe it is worth our money to look and explore those options so we do have some kind of access control so we can see who uses the facility on any given day,” he said. “If there are issues with people damaging astro, the nets, the fence or the ring, at least we have some kind of recourse to go back and follow up with those individuals.”

Ward 8 Coun. Ted Zurakowski wasn’t in support of the project moving forward because of the big price tag. He said the city should be looking at its more pressing needs and mentioned he would like to see the data in the community services master plan which staff promised in June.

Mayor Greg Dionne joked that “for $170,000, it should also retrieve the ball for you.”

Despite not liking the price tag, Dionne said he supported the project going forward. It was supposed to be upgraded and maintained long ago.

Following the debate, the motion carried unanimously. Zurakowski said he had been convinced to vote in favour. 

Jeff.labine@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @labinereporter