Centennial Park is one step closer to getting new tennis courts, after the Plymouth Common Council voted Wednesday to contribute an additional $329,000 in city funding for the project. That money, appropriated out of the city’s Cumulative Capital Development and Cumulative Capital Improvement funds, is in addition to the $750,000 the city has already pledged.
The project would rebuild the tennis courts in their current location, using reinforced concrete rather than the current asphalt. That’s raised the cost of the project somewhat but is also expected to reduce long-term maintenance costs. In all, the project would include the construction of 10 new courts, moving the roadway, redoing the parking lot, and installing new lights for the tennis courts and parking lot.
In addition to city funding, the Plymouth Community School Corporation formally contributed $500,000 to the project last week, while $132,777 was raised by the Plymouth Tennis Club’s Project Committee.
During Wednesday’s special session, council member Shawn Grobe voiced his opposition to the additional funding. “With all due respect to the private donors and to the park board, as a taxpayer and as a councilman, I just highly encourage that we look at this not from an obligation because we have private donations but as an obligation to what we’re asking the taxpayers to fund,” he said. “This is the decision we need to make: ‘Do we want to spend the money because it’s the right thing to do for the city?’ not ‘We’re going to spend the money because we already have a certain amount of donations.’ I think we need to frame it in that context.”
The resolution to appropriate the additional funds passed, with Grobe and Don Ecker Jr. opposing the measure.
City Attorney Sean Surrisi says additional public hearings will have to take place before the city can formally start spending money on the project. If all goes according to plan, construction could start in June.
