On the heels of a tennis legend moving to New Canaan, some good news for local fans of the sport.
New Canaan High School tennis courts. Credit: Michael Dinan
Town officials are pursuing a $460,000 bond issuance to install a “post-tensioned concrete surface” at the New Canaan High School tennis courts. Advocates for the project, including Recreation Director Steve Benko, say the new surface will reduce hazards through cracks or dimples, eliminate downtime during frequent repairs and save the town money and manpower in “band-aiding” the now 17-year-old courts each year.
Benko had sought funding last year to pursue the project, but was denied, and made do with repairing cracks and other problems with a $4,500 allocation in the fall.
New Canaan Recreation Director Steve Benko (L) and Park & Recreation Commissioner Andrew Gordon, at the March 19, 2014 Town Council meeting. Credit: Michael Dinan
According to Benko, post-tensioned concrete—used with success in Newtown and more recently in Darien—solves problems that the courts now have where our violently changing weather creates bumps and cracks. In post-tensioned concrete, concrete is poured around a duct to follow areas where tension otherwise would exist. Here’s what Wikipedia says about it.
Benko told the Town Council at its March 19 meeting that he’s started to see “dimpling” on the courts in the playing area.
New Canaan High School tennis courts. Credit: Michael Dinan
“You see little humps and ripples, we’re starting to see that on three or four of the courts there,” Benko said during the council’s meeting, held at the New Canaan Nature Center. “That is probably being caused by moisture getting under the emulsion surface of the court and it’s starting to kick up.”
Council member Roger Williams commended Benko and other town workers for “doing a great job” with patching the high school courts last year.
“And after this winter, to not see any great issues with the courts is really terrific,” Williams said.
The Town Council voted in favor of the $460,000 bond issuance for the courts. Benko made his presentation with Park & Recreation Commission member Andrew Gordon.