Binghamton Tennis Lovers Take a Spring Break for Rec Park Repairs

The weather may be almost perfect for tennis but that's not an option for people who enjoy playing at Recreation Park on Binghamton's West Side.

The newly-installed surface of park's tennis courts has been stripped off because of water problems.

Mayor Jared Kraham said the trouble was linked to the top layer of asphalt on the courts.

A close-up look at the Rec Park tennis court surface on March 31, 2022. (Photo: Bob Joseph/WNBF News)

The tennis court project originally was expected to cost the city about $1.5 million. The contract for the work was awarded to Broome Bituminous Products of Vestal.

The courts had been in use since late last summer for competitive tennis matches and by recreational players. But the facility was shut down after a few months when it became clear there was a problem.

City Council in February authorized paying $11,900 to the engineering firm Barton & Loguidice for additional construction administration and observation related to the "persistent wetness" of the tennis courts.

A replacement layer of asphalt being applied to the Recreation Park tennis courts. Photo: Bob Joseph/WNBF News

Mayor Kraham has said the material Broome Bituminous used for the court surface "didn't meet the city's expectations in terms of drainage and repelling water." He said Broome Bituminous would cover the cost of milling the bad surface and replacing it would the appropriate material.

The work was expected to be completed in less than two months.

The tennis courts are named in memory of Harper Stantz, the 16-year-old Binghamton High School student who died after she was struck by a vehicle. She was hit as she walked home with a friend in March 2019, moments after they had finished playing tennis at Recreation Park.

Broome Bituminous workers at Recreation Park on April 13, 2022. (Photo: Bob Joseph/WNBF News)

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Contact WNBF News reporter Bob Joseph: bob@wnbf.com.

For breaking news and updates on developing stories, follow @BinghamtonNow on Twitter.

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Filed Under: Binghamton, Broome Bituminous, Recreation Park, tennis, West Side

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