Tennis action on a Saturday morning at the new Cedar Falls courts. PHOTO BY SUSAN KELLY
Chapel Hill has six new tennis courts at Cedar Falls Park. They’re open dawn to dusk, while the town/contractor muddle over an ADA accessible sidewalk from the parking lot to the courts. The delay has been going on for months.
Look for a small blue and white sign at the edge of the parking lot near the woods by the bathroom pointing to a natural trail that will take you to the courts which have new tennis surfaces, posts, nets. They opened Aug. 20.
No sidewalk means no lights for night play even though LED lights previously were installed. The courts are reserved most afternoons for school tennis programs so they’re available to the public weekday mornings and weekends only.
Facilities with lights are open as late as 11 p.m. Courts are available on a first-come, first-served basis when not reserved. You can reserve courts for programming purposes by filling out a rental request form at the rec department.
The town issues monthly construction updates but the result is the same. Construction began in August 25, so it’s been 13 months and counting. Cost so far is $1.5M, which may include repaving the parking lot. The project has been needed for many years (the old courts were in poor condition) but the project regularly was delayed because no funds were available.
Sidewalk construction stalls at Cedar Falls. PHOTO BY SUSAN KELLY
“We’re putting the finishing touches on landscaping, benches, covered bleachers, trash bins and LED lighting. The courts will be open from dawn to dusk until the lighting is ready. We expect to finish these final touches by late fall,” the town said Aug. 13. If you’re looking for ADA-accessible courts, check Ephesus Park beside the school.
J.B.