THIS STORY HAS BEEN FORMATTED FOR EASY PRINTING
Globe Watch

Navy Yard tennis courts could use some work

The tennis courts in the Charlestown Navy Yard have a cracked surface and torn nets. The tennis courts in the Charlestown Navy Yard have a cracked surface and torn nets. (Christina Pazzanese for The Boston Globe)
July 18, 2009
  • Email|
  • Print|
  • Reprints|
  • |
Text size – +

With the weather finally cooperating, tipster Ellen Flipse tells GlobeWatch she’s been excited to get outside to enjoy a treasured seasonal pastime. “Summer is finally here! Outdoor tennis is always one of my favorite summer pastimes. Unfortunately, our local tennis court in the Charlestown Navy Yard is barely hanging in there,’’ she writes. Flipse, who lives in the neighborhood, says the nets are torn up, large cracks scar the court surface, and lights don’t work well. “Because of June’s rainy weather, I haven’t played tennis as frequently as I would like. Generally, I play two or three times a week. Because the conditions are so bad at the Navy Yard courts, we try to find other venues first. (The Navy Yard is the last resort!)’’ Flipse says she thinks the poor conditions have driven others away, too.

“I used to regularly see people on the courts playing tennis or basketball. . . It just seems that the deterioration of the courts has led to many people seeking other sources to play,’’ she writes. “Who oversees the courts? A few improvements would go a long way.’’

During a visit last week, a Globe reporter found the nets had a few holes, but were upright and functional. Dozens of large, deep crevices on both courts, and on an adjacent basketball court, seemed likely to interfere with smooth play. The chain-link fence that contained the courts looked a bit shabby and rusted, but serviceable. The lights were not in use because it was still light out.

THE PARKS SERVICE RESPONDS

“Thank you for bringing this to our attention,’’ said Sean Hennessy, spokesman for the National Park Service, which runs the Navy Yard and maintains the tennis courts. The park service inherited the courts, which date from the late 19th century, when it took over the Yard in 1974, he said. Because they are on a historically protected property, the service was reluctant to remove them despite the incongruity of managing two public tennis courts along with its primary activities of leading tours and stewarding historic attractions. “We’re happy to provide that amenity to the community,’’ he said. Contrary to Flipse’s assertion, the tennis and basketball courts are in greater demand than ever by local residents and Navy personnel, leading to accelerated deterioration, said Hennessy. A backstop is repainted, and basketball nets are replaced every year, he said, and the tennis nets are swapped out every couple of years. Weeding and litter pickup are done on a regular basis. But the court surface was last redone in 1985.

Hennessy said he would initiate a work order to get the courts resurfaced. “We will enter something in and get that rolling,’’ he said, adding he couldn’t say how long it might take before the work would begin.

The City of Boston’s Parks and Recreation Department manages 58 tennis courts citywide that are “heavily used,’’ said spokeswoman Mary Hines. The Department of Conservation and Recreation oversees 59 public courts statewide, 30 of which are in Boston, said spokeswoman Wendy Fox.

CHRISTINA PAZZANESE

GlobeWatch

© Copyright 2009 Globe Newspaper Company.