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09/17/2014 12:00 AMThe United States Tennis Association (USTA) has awarded a $15,000 grant to the town of Killingworth for construction of the town's first tennis courts, which are being installed at Irene Sheldon Park as part of a $750,000 overhaul of the 40-year-old park.
In its application to the USTA, KPRC (Killingworth Park and Recreation Commission) noted that construction of tennis courts will provide residents the opportunity to learn and play the game of tennis in their own backyard. There are currently no public tennis courts in the Killingworth.
M&M Tennis Court Co. of Bristol is installing the two hard-surface tennis courts. The court lines will include traditional full-court lines, as well as blended lines that allow two mini courts to be designed on each court, making play more fun and accessible for young children.
The KPRC is also planning USTA "Tennis Play Days" events on Saturday mornings for younger players and afternoons for older players in the spring and fall. Nearly 4,000 Play Days were held across the country last year. The commission is looking for volunteers to help organize the program.
KPRC is also planning to offer tennis clinics and other programs to teens and adults, such as "Tennis in the Parks". In addition to the tennis courts, the park will include two baseball fields, a softball field, a basketball court, and improvements to the parking areas. The children's playground will remain where it is, as will the horseshoe pits and pond. Fencing and road work are expected to be completed this month. The park will remain closed with an expected spring opening for all facilities.
Improvements to Sheldon Park are expected to take nine months to complete at a cost of $750,000. The project is being funded by a $400,000 STEAP grant; $140,000 in town capital funds; and $210,000 from the town's capital reserves. The tennis courts are being installed at a cost of $147,563.
Information courtesy of Dan Colonia