HomeMy WebLinkAbout1996 - Newpaper ArticlesNew Courts���'
Could Have
Fall Advantage
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ByPrSnILYCANUPP
ess-Journal Staff Writer
The ball is back in the city's
court.
Sebastian officials said Tuesday
they are in the midst of preparing
bid specifications to add four
more tennis courts to the two al-
ready at Schumann Drive. They
hope the new courts will be ready
for play before the city's northern
visitors return this winter with
rackets in hand.
Former community devel-
opment director Bruce Cooper,
who was hired last November as
a consultant to finish the project,
said he finished with the project
in March and bounced it back to
the city to complete the drainage
work.
"Everything was done but the
drainage," Cooper said Tuesday.
"Instead of spending money on
me, I advised (City Manager
Thomas) Frame to go ahead and
have the city engineers do it."
Since that time, Public Works
Director Richard Votapka said,
his staff has been working on the
drainage plan and details of the
project, such as court surface,
fencing, equipment and lighting.
Don Scott, a member of the
Friendly Tennis Group — the
main users of the city courts —
said his group thought the project
would be done by now. But they
are not discouraged.
"It seems like we're moving
ahead now," Scott said Tuesday.
"We had a productive meeting
Cooper
two weeks ago with Rich Votapka
and we're looking forward to
playing on the new courts by Oc-
tober."
Group members are on the
courts every weekday morning.
Players have said they need more
tennis courts because there are so
many people that only doubles
matches can be played. Addi-
tional courts will allow them to
play singles matches.
During the next few months,
many of the group's 36 members
will travel north for the summer
or go away on vacation, Scott
said, noting this is the perfect
time of year to have the work
done.
"Only 14 (people) played today,
so it's not so bad," Scott said. "We
can get by until fall."
Last June, the city learned it got
a $100,000 grant from the state De-
partment of Environmental Pro-
tection's Recreation Development
Assistance Program for the addi-
tional courts. City officials also
want to add landscaping, a larger
parking lot, bleachers, picnic ta-
bles and a second racquetball
court at the Schumann site.
The courts will go where the
football field is located. The park-
ing lot, which borders Schumann
Drive, will be in the same place,
but set back from the street.
Votapka said the grant is good
until Oct. 31, 1997, so there should
be no problem getting the work
done in time.
Planning Board 9/111-96
OKs Tennis Courts
Sebastian Planning and Zoning
commissioners Thursday night
approved site plans for four more
tennis courts on Schumann Drive.
The city currently has two
courts at the site.
Commissioners approved the
site plans on the condition that a
10 -foot fence be erected around
the area and that wheel stops be
placed in the parking lot.
In June 1995, the city received a
$100,000 grant from the state De-
partment of Environmental Pro-
tection's Recreation Development
Assistance Program for the addi-
tional courts.
The proposed courts will go on 4
acres, where the football field is
now located. The parking lot will
be in the same place, but set back
from the street.
City officials have said the
grant is good until Oct. 31, 1997, so
there should be no problem get-
ting the work completed in time.
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