Joint Effort to Solve Pugwash Tennis Mess
The tennis courts in Pugwash are in deplorable shape and everyone agrees. Rather than complain, the users and the owners of the courts are joining forces to find a fix.
The Pugwash Village Commission agreed to a joint committee with the Northumberland Tennis and Pickleball Association. They know what is needed and they will work together to seek funds to make things right.
The paved Pugwash courts have been undermined by groundwater which has badly damaged the surface with deep cracks from numerous freeze and thaw cycles.
The players have tried to patch the problem each year for the last few years. While the village has paid for the materials, the ultimate solution is a complete resurfacing at a cost that is beyond the village budget.
Both sides believe there should be provincial funds to help, but programs are sometimes restricted to not-for-profit groups, while other grants are only made available to local governments. The problem is sometimes further exacerbated by ownership. The courts belong to the village while the tennis buffs, a not-for-profit group, are the users of the facility.
The joint committee, which includes commissioners Kathy Redmond and Bill Martin, will look for provincial grants and by working together they hope to maximize their opportunities.
A resurfacing plan might cost in excess of $100,000 while building new courts from scratch would cost well over $200,000.
The committee plans to start meeting right away in hopes of making applications for programs that might find favour for the 2020 outdoor season.
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