Status quo could change in a few years

MOSES LAKE — As long as nothing is falling from the sky, there they are. Racket in hand month after month. Battling the wind, the cold, the heat or even the sprinklers from nearby McCosh Park.

Tennis lovers doing their best to emulate their idols — Jimmy Connors or Andy Roddick, Chris Evert or Jennifer Capriati.

Some belong to tennis clubs, some are taking their first cracks at the sport. Whatever their level, they all have one thing in common, they all, at one point or another, gather at the city's only public tennis courts on Dogwood Street.

"Some of these courts are all right, some are bad." said Jose Yerena, taking a break from his match with friend Gerson Villarreal. "In general, they are well taken care of."

Not everybody shares the same outlook. Spencer Grigg, director of the city's parks and recreation department, said he has been contacted by members of the Columbia Basin Tennis Association, who told him the courts were in need of major maintenance.

Enter Jack Cosby, owner of Spokane's JB Sports, which specializes in building and resurfacing tennis courts. On Wednesday, Cosby toured the courts along with Grigg and the members of the city's Parks and Recreation Commission and the CBTA.

"For a public park (the courts) looked like they were in pretty good shape," Cosby said. "There is some water damage from the spray from the sprinkler system. Outside of that, the court is in good condition."

The assessment surprised some, finding out that a mayor overhaul may not be needed for a few years.

The courts show some wear and tear due to age and use, but for now, that should entail nothing beyond minor upkeep.

"There are some minor cracks around the perimeter of the courts," Grigg said, who added that there is some damage along the southern side of the courts due to the sprinklers that water the grass at McCosh Park.

Options to solve that problem include creating a buffer zone between grass and courts or adjusting the sprinklers.

Out of the six courts, four are traditional asphalt and two are tiled, "sport courts," which tend to receive the most mixed reviews.

Advanced players and young people tend to stay away from the tiled courts, as the ball travels slower on them. Senior citizens prefer them as they are a bit easier on the knees, ankles and hips.

Between the young and old, the courts get very frequent use, not at the level of its neighbor, the Moses Lake Family Aquatic Center, but a constant, almost year-round trickling of people at all hours of the day.

"It's not bursting at the seams, but the courts are well utilized," Grigg said.

A total resurfacing of the court's asphalt is still an option, just not an imperative one. Just in case, Cosby said Grigg asked him for figures on what it would cost to do it. Those numbers have not been made available yet, but Cosby said the resurfacing job would not take more than two weeks.

"It's the city's determination whether they want to have them resurfaced," he added.