BERLIN – Town officials approved plans for a Worcester County Recreation and Parks program at Berlin’s new tennis courts.
On Monday, the Berlin Town Council approved a drop-in tennis program to be hosted by Worcester County Recreation and Parks at the new courts at Stephen Decatur Park. The program, which is set for Wednesdays from 10 a.m. to noon, will run from April 3 to May 29.
“For the county to come in and do this is a wonderful thing,” said Mary Bohlen, the town’s administrative services director.
Bohlen told the council the town’s parks commission had long been hoping to have programming at Berlin’s parks but that the town simply didn’t have the staff to do it. She said the county’s proposal to host a tennis program at the town’s park was ideal.
“We’re very excited,” Bohlen said. “Hopefully this will lead to more programming.”
She pointed out that while citizens have always had access to programs the county has hosted elsewhere, this program would be in their own town.
“It’s a good opportunity for our citizens to have this programming nearby,” she said.
Bohlen explained that the tennis program needed council approval because the county was charging a fee which made this technically a “business use” of the park. She said the fee was $3 per session.
Councilman Zack Tyndall pointed out that the council had turned down other program requests at the town’s parks.
Bohlen said those had been for-profit programs.
“This is a governmental sponsor,” Mayor Gee Williams said.
Councilman Thom Gulyas said that Councilman Dean Burrell, who was not present, had asked that one of the four courts be left open in case anyone not involved in the program wanted to play. Bohlen said she doubted the program would require all four courts but that she would advise county staff of that request.
“The likelihood of them using all four is pretty slim,” she said.
The council voted 4-0, with Burrell absent, to approve the tennis program’s use of the park.
