OCEAN PINES – The tennis court renovations at Stephen Decatur Park could be complete later this month.
While the asphalt is now in place, the courts still need surfacing, fencing, nets and benches installed.
“At this point, assuming the weather cooperates and everything moves forward as expected, my hope is the end of August it’ll be done,” said Mary Bohlen, the town’s administrative services director.
Town officials have been working to replace the decades-old tennis courts at Stephen Decatur Park since 2014. Though the town received a $215,000 Community Parks and Playgrounds Program grant from the Maryland Department of Natural Resources three years ago, the project hit several roadblocks during the past few years. Initially, court replacement costs went up significantly when crews discovered there was a 10-inch layer of asphalt under the existing courts. Though it took some time, town officials were able to lower the cost of the project by breaking it up into various pieces. The town also acquired an additional grant, $20,000 from Program Open Space, to help with the project.
Costs again increased slightly this spring, however, as engineers realized some adjustments were necessary to ensure the courts didn’t crack.
“We had to do some drainage work so it would hold up better in the future,” Bohlen said.
She said this week the final cost for the tennis court replacement was expected to be approximately $320,000.
She’s hopeful the courts will be open for play by late August. She said asphalt for the courts had been installed in July but had to cure for a month before surfacing could be applied. She expects that to take place in mid-August, which is also when fencing and benches are set to be added to the site.
“We’re as anxious for it to be complete as anybody,” Bohlen said.
