Tennis Courts May Cost West Hartford Taxpayers More

WEST HARTFORD, CT — Plans to build new tennis courts at West Hartford's high schools are proving to be more expensive than anticipated.

As a result, the town is asking the public for input on a plan to spend more money on the project , with the West Hartford Town Council earlier this month scheduling a public hearing on the matter.

The unanimous, 9-0 vote to schedule the hearing was Aug. 16 and the hearing itself will take place Tuesday, Sept. 13, at 6:15 p.m. at West Hartford Town Hall.

At issue is a town proposal to borrow $495,000 to add into West Hartford's capital improvement fund to help build 12 new tennis courts at both Hall High School and Conard High School.

If approved, the funds will supplement a $3 million State Bond Commission appropriation approved March 31 for the project.

Hall High School is at 975 N. Main St. and Conard High School is at 10 Beechwood Road.

The project will include new courts, lighting, fencing, netting, landscaping and other amenities.

In June, the council voted unanimously to authorize the town manager, Rick Ledwith, to formally accept the $3 million and sign off on any documents required to complete the project.

Earlier this year, West Hartford officials were hopeful the $3 million would sufficiently cover the cost of the tennis courts.

But, according to a town memo presented to the council earlier this month, bids were solicited and only one bid was received for the work.

And, town officials said, that sole bid was far more than what the bond commission approved earlier this year.

As result, the town opted to create an ordinance authorizing the added $495,000 tennis court expenditure, an ordinance that will be discussed by the public Sept. 13 and, likely, voted on that evening by the council.

The hope is to have the tennis courts complete for spring 2023, which is when the high school tennis season starts and town officials are hopeful the whole project can still be done by October.

For more information on the tennis court project, click on this link and scroll down to page 1,325.

For the minutes of the Aug. 16 West Hartford Town Council meeting, click on this link.

To watch the Aug. 16 West Hartford Town Council meeting, click on this link.