Tennis court project

Wednesday, June 14, 2006

By CONNIE?JO?DISCOE

Regional Editor

McCook Public Schools has been awarded a $76,000 grant to apply to a tennis court project.

School board president Greg Larson told fellow board members at their meeting Monday evening that McCook was the only grant applicant in Nebraska to be approved for 24 grants from U.S.D.A.-Parks and Recreation. The grant does not require matching funds, Larson said.

The $76,000 amount is based upon the construction of six new tennis courts, Larson said; the grant would be prorated to about $50,000 if the school decided to build four courts.

The school board has been considering four-court and six-court configurations to replace the existing three courts, built 27 years ago, between the junior and senior high buildings.

The new courts would be located in the existing shotput area north of the Ed Thomas YMCA west of the high school's parking lot. Four courts could be situated on land owned by the school district; six courts would require buying land or obtaining an easement for land from the YMCA.

The board had requested bids for site preparation and court construction, and received two bids for construction of a "post-tensioned concrete court system," with a longevity of 50 years.

The bids include variables for "low" and "high" lights (to illuminate just the courts or the entire court area), a walkway for spectator viewing and four or six courts. The bids came from LERenner Sports Surfaces of Denver and Mid-America Courts of Wichita.

Bids included:

Four courts, low lights, no walkway -- Renner, 196,000; Mid-America, $224,100.

Four courts, low lights, with walkway -- Renner, $214,000; Mid-America, $235,700.

Four courts, high lights, no walkway -- Renner, $241,000; Mid-America, $262,100.

Four courts, high lights, with walkway -- Renner, $259,000; Mid-America, $268,700.

Six courts, low lights, no walkway -- Renner, $285,400; Mid-America, $328,650.

Six courts, low lights, with walkway -- Renner, $303,400; Mid-America, $337,450.

Six courts, high lights, no walkway -- Renner, $345,400; Mid-America, $380,650.

Six courts, high lights, with walkway -- Renner, $363,400; Mid-America, $389,450.

Site preparation would be contracted to a local contractor, Larson said.

MHS tennis coach Matt Wiemers told board members he had 18 boys and 52 girls out for tennis in 2005-2006. Former Activities Director Rick Haney, now the school district's financial director, said that the existing courts are "full of Matt's kids all summer long."

Board member Jim Coady said that, before he can make a decision, he needs to know the cost of land and/or easement from the Y and whether the City of McCook may be able to contribute financially to the project (because the courts will be available to the general public when the school is not using them).

Board members agreed to table any action on the tennis courts until a special meeting scheduled Wednesday, June 21. The McCook board's discussion of items -- the tennis courts and any resignations/contracts -- will begin at 6:30 p.m. Discussion of District 8's integration into the McCook school system will begin at 7 p.m.

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