Schools

Ellington Says Yes to Tennis Courts

The residents approved accepting a STEAP grant to build new courts in town.

In an uneventful town meeting, Ellington residents unanimously approved accepting a Small Town Economic Assistance Program grant to build four new tennis courts.

The meeting room at the was full but only one quick question was asked before the vote was taken.

The STEAP grant will be for $170,000 and an additional $25,000 for the project will be coming from the United States Tennis Association. The Friends of Ellington Tennis, a USTA Community Tennis Association that has received several smaller USTA grants in the past, is pursuing the grant from the USTA for the remaining funding of the project.

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The entire upfront costs will be paid by the STEAP and USTA grants and Friends of Ellington Tennis will continue to conduct annual fundraisers to fund court maintenance.

With USTA participation in the project, technical specifications are being provided that will require contractors to maintain the total maintenance cost for five years of operation.

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The project will include four hard surface courts and a shed for storage. One court will be painted to accommodate QuickStart Tennis for under-10 players and seniors.

The town will ask the contractors for an optional price for lights for the tennis courts.

The courts will be located next to Ellington High School on Schwartz Field. There is currently a soccer field located on this property and will remain there, as the courts will be constructed next to the path that leads from the parking lot.

Construction will be conducted when school is not in session due to the fact that the only entrance to the site is through Ellington High School property.

The process began in July 2010 when the filed an application for the STEAP grant and it was approved by First Selectman Maurice Blanchette.

From there, the project had to go through several rounds of approval, before coming to the townspeople – and it did.

  • May 5 – Inland Wetland Commission
  • May 16 – Approved by the Board of Selectmen
  • May 17 – Approved by the Board of Finance
  • May 23 – Approved by Planning and Zoning

As it stands now, there are only two courts – at – and several teams, lessons, and recreational players use them each week.

The benefits of these new courts is three-fold. The physical education classes at the high school can use them, the can use them, and so can Parks and Recreation programs and town residents.


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