Scituate High School has recently begun a major renovation to the tennis courts located next to the main turf.
Before the decision to renovate, “the courts were very condemned and not playable,” said Scituate athletic director Scott Paine. It is believed that the courts had not been updated for around 15 years before this summer.
Inspiration for a new facility came after a critical viewing of the courts’ conditions from “town citizens (who) went before the (Scituate) Select Board to get the process rolling.” There will now be two five-court tennis centers–the old Gates Intermediate School courts have been recently updated–benefitting the town because “tennis is a significant sport,” Paine said.
The project has been in the works for about three years, starting with “environmental impact studies, as well as other studies that the architectural and engineering firms do,” followed by the design process. “Meanwhile, you need the funding and multiple town meetings to vote on getting the funding approved,” Paine said. The construction team began work at the beginning of the summer, and until now, there have been a few delays due to weather-dependent factors. The first concrete pour–filling the first two courts–took place on Monday, September 30th, after which the concrete sat for a week. The last three courts’ concrete was poured in the week after.
Ideally, the courts will be ready for use “by the end of October to early November, while it is weather dependent,” Paine said. The school hopes to play all Scituate boys and girls tennis matches at the new facility in the spring of 2025.
The new courts will have “full lighting and built-in bleachers.” They are made of post-tension concrete–a state-of-the-art material that balances the tension of the courts, allowing for the highest-quality playing surface. They are posed to be “one of the nicest facilities around,” Paine said. The facility will be maintained by the Scituate Recreation Department and the Department of Public Works, who will form a long-lasting solution to keep the courts in prime condition. The new surface is expected to last 50 years or longer if cared for correctly.
Paine said the courts will be utilized by “not only school tennis teams and physical education classes, but can also host regional tournaments” if a neutral location is needed. The new tennis courts can also increase student participation and school support, as matches and practices will be moved on campus, having been historically held at the old Gates Intermediate School.
According to Paine, the community’s support regarding these renovations has been “second to none.”