Stonington — With the help of federal American Rescue Plan funding, the town will undertake the long-needed renovation of the George Crouse tennis courts behind the high school at cost of almost $1.1 million.
In recent years, the courts have begun to fall into disrepair, with the town spending money to make temporary repairs because there was no funding for a complete restoration.
Last week, the Board of Selectmen agreed to allocate $499,333 from the $1 million contingency fund established in the town’s $5.3 million ARP funding. The remainder of the $1,083,500 cost is already included in the town’s capital improvement budget.
First Selectwoman Danielle Chesebrough said without the repairs the courts were danger of being closed.
The project calls for rebuilding six tennis courts, adding two pickleball courts as well as lighting and netting. Work is expected to begin in August. The town has hired Classic Turf Co. of Woodbury to do the work.
According to the company’s website, it has built tennis courts at the University of New Haven, Providence College, and Northeastern University as well as 44 high schools across the Northeast including Old Lyme High School.