By Jennifer Kohlhepp, Managing Editor
EAST WINDSOR — The upgrade of the tennis courts at Wiltshire Park did not come about as the result of a letter to the editor.
Mayor Janice Mironov said Tuesday that the decision to refurbish the courts at Wiltshire and Veterans parks was made last year. She said the process included setting aside funding to revamp the courts and putting the project out to bid. She also noted that the township had to wait until the weather was right to make the repairs.
“Discussions and decisions about these park improvements were made by mayor and council last year after reviews of park needs, and incorporated in our capital program,” Mayor Mironov said. “The project decisions included review of condition and extent of public use. Then the township was required to put funding in place, develop specifications for bidding and bid the work and award the bid for the project. The work itself needed to be performed in warmer and dryer weather.”
The mayor did respond to the letter Ken Shore wrote last week to inform him of the process for fixing the courts but the improvements are not in response to his letter, according to the mayor.
The courts are being remade with a new material that should provide benefits to players as well as the township. The latter won’t have to repair the courts as often as the new material is long-lasting, according to the mayor.
The township will completely replace three courts at Wiltshire Park and two at Veterans Park. The funding from the project comes out of the township’s capital program funding.
The contractor began work at Wiltshire Park during the week of July 6, and upon completion will move on to Veterans Park.
“Bid award was on May 19, and the bid total amount was $147,140 — $84,835 for the three tennis courts at Wiltshire Park and $62,305 for the two tennis courts at Veterans Park (in Cranbury Manor area),” Mayor Mironov said.
After reviewing options, the township determined to go with Premier Court, which is a resurfacing method designed to be an overlay to hard court surfaces (in this case asphalt), after first addressing this base layer. The alternative which is currently in place for township tennis courts is to mill and resurface the blacktop, much akin to a roadway, estimated at $25,000 a court plus some related costs for posts, according to the mayor.
“This Premier Court approach has a dramatically longer life and better look, and an extended 25-year warranty,” Mayor Mironov said. “The Premier Court is not damaged by water and temperature thus eliminating cracking, an issue particularly at Wiltshire Park. Thus, the patented what they call ‘free floating’ system creates a weatherproof barrier that covers cracks and in most cases eliminates the reoccurring costs associated with continued repairs of these existing issues. The Premier Court also is promoted as improving shock absorption and reducing stress on joints versus traditional hard court tennis surfaces.”
