After Feud, La Grange Tennis Courts To Open Soon

LA GRANGE, IL – The tennis courts that were the subject of a dispute between La Grange government bodies are set to open in a couple of weeks, an official said Tuesday.

In an email to Patch, Brian Ganan, superintendent of La Grange School District 105, said the tennis court repair company is in the final stages of the project.

"The project has taken some time due to the major resurfacing needs," Ganan said. "We are excited to welcome the public to the courts soon."

This is welcome news for residents.

"We are getting our courts back," La Grange resident Steve Krone said in an email to Patch. "I humbly submit that we, the taxpayers, are paying for the repairs, the expense is just coming out of District 105 budget. Getting our courts back was what we wanted."

In 2022, the board for the Park District of La Grange decided against renewing its 30-year-old agreement with District 205 to use the three courts at Catherine Avenue and 53rd Street, next to Gurrie Middle School. The school district owns the property.

When the agreement ended June 30, 2022, the school district closed the courts, saying their condition was an issue. The school district posted signs at the tennis courts stating that the park district terminated the agreement. In the agreement, the signs said, the parks were required to maintain the courts.

Because of the courts' condition, according to the signs, District 105's insurer advised the schools to close the courts until further notice.

In the fall, the two public bodies settled their dispute. Under the agreement, they said they wanted to avoid possible litigation.

The settlement required the park district to give $85,000 to the schools. The park district would no longer have any right to use the courts.

The districts agreed not to disparage each other orally or in writing concerning the dispute.

The signs apparently rubbed the park district the wrong way. If the school district kept the signs posted, it would have been required to pay the park district $10,000 in damages under the agreement.

At the time, park officials said they were struggling to maintain their own facilities without taking care of one it doesn't own.

The park district also has tennis courts at Gilbert and Sedgwick parks.