Councilors said the tennis court repair is long overdue.
PALMER – Only one bid was submitted to repair the Palmer High School tennis courts, and it was from Palmer Paving for $350,000.
Executive Assistant Andrew M. Golas said the bid has to be reviewed by the engineering firm Tighe & Bond before the contract can be awarded. The bid opening was held Sept. 11.
Town Manager Charles T. Blanchard said he hopes that once the contract is awarded, work can begin right away, with a goal of having the six courts ready for spring. Blanchard said the Public Works Department has already prepped the site and removed the old pavement.
The project is being funded with $172,500 from so-called “free cash” and $172,500 from the stabilization fund.
The dilapidated courts have long been an eyesore, with weeds sprouting through the buckles and cracks in the pavement. They were built in 1991, during the high school construction project, and have been closed for years over safety concerns. Problems with the drainage system underneath the courts were blamed for the buckling and cracks.
Town Council President Philip J. Hebert said he is pleased the project is finally getting done, and said the public works employees worked hard to try to save the town some money in the process. Blanchard had said that having the public works employees work on pavement excavation and removal would save approximately $50,000.
Hebert responded to critics who thought the money should have been used elsewhere.
“No matter what somebody will always criticize something. We do what we think is right,” Hebert said, referring to the council vote to allocate the money for the repair. “The tennis courts and pool were part of the (high school) package deal for the whole community to enjoy. If you didn’t do it, you would be defeating the whole purpose of why it was put there to begin with.
“It will definitely be nice,” Hebert said.
District 4 Councilor Donald Blais Jr., a 2004 Palmer High graduate who has played on the courts, said the project is long overdue.
“I think once it’s finished it will be a benefit again to the community and I hope people will appreciate them and take care of it,” Blais said, adding he also hopes the town does a better job of maintaining the courts.
The high school tennis team and the public have been using the tennis courts near Converse Middle School.