Many cities are rethinking costly, crumbling tennis courts

In Fridley in the coming year, the city plans to remove two tennis courts, part of a larger plan to phase out nine city-owned courts over the next several years.

Andover, meanwhile, has no plans to put a single tennis court in any of the city's planned parks over the next decade.

The two north metro cities -- one an established suburb and the other still developing -- illustrate a broader trend that is evident across the metro area: Older cities are getting rid of tennis courts, while newer developing suburbs aren't incorporating courts into new parks at all.

But the disappearance of courts from public parks doesn't mean the disappearance of tennis. Ironically, tennis courts are being removed at a time when tennis is on the upswing.

National figures show that since 2000, participation in tennis has grown more than that of any other major sport.

But dollars for replacing cracked and crumbling public tennis courts are not keeping pace.

Most of Fridley's courts are at least 20 years old. About three years ago, to save money, the city began a long-range plan to remove nine city-owned courts as they deteriorate. The city has removed four so far, said Jack Kirk, the city's parks and recreation director.

Andover has just two city-owned courts at an older city park, Northwoods West Park. The city doesn't foresee installing any new courts over the next decades, said parks coordinator Todd Haas.

Like Fridley and other suburbs, a lot of the tennis that is played in Andover is played at public school courts. There are also indoor courts at the city's community center, which it operates with the YMCA.

Schools are 'biggest supplier'

People still are playing tennis -- it's just not happening as much at city parks, said Tim Jachymowski, who grew up playing tennis on those old city courts in Fridley.

He now owns PublicIndoorTennis.com, a website and an indoor tennis facility that opened in November in a former golf dome in Spring Lake Park. A former tennis coach at Centennial High School in Circle Pines, Jachymowski says he has seen tennis participation at north metro schools rise over the recent years, including in Blaine, Coon Rapids, Andover and Maple Grove.

"Schools, I think, are the biggest supplier of tennis courts. You've got a school like Blaine, where there's 12 tennis courts. Coon Rapids has 14. Most schools have eight -- even middle schools. ... The [city-owned courts], they just let fly. They should have been resurfaced years ago, but it doesn't get done. And they get to look junky and then people look at it as a junky type of activity."

Many of today's asphalt courts that are cracked and pitted and need replacement were built during tennis' heyday in the 1970s, when American tennis stars like Jimmy Connors and Chris Evert boosted the sport's popularity.

But in cities where there are lots of old tennis courts and where park and recreation budgets are pinched, replacing asphalt tennis courts at a cost of anywhere from $45,000 to $150,000 a pair is being carefully evaluated.

In Minneapolis, at least 39 of the 139 outdoor tennis courts run by the Park and Recreation Board are slated to disappear.

Minneapolis is "significantly overbuilt in tennis courts," said Michael Schmidt, general manager for the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board.

Courts are hot in several spots

Not every city is reevaluating its commitment to tennis courts.

In Edina, where high school tennis teams perennially compete for state titles, residents rank tennis courts in the top third of recreation needs.

In Plymouth, participation in tennis leagues and lessons increased by one-quarter between 2006 and 2007. The city is keeping all 24 of its courts and redoing them one-by-one.

But in Richfield, residents told the city they would rather have walking and biking trails. Softball fields, ice rinks, basketball courts and soccer fields also ranked above tennis, which finished dead last among the citizen priorities in a survey.

But the city also has restored some tennis courts. While the city survey is one measure of priorities, Topitzhofer said, his department also wants to promote tennis and get more kids playing, especially minority youth.

"One reason why there is changing participation in tennis may be that our demographic makeup is much different than it was in the 1960s and '70s," he said.

Minneapolis' Schmidt echoes that sentiment. New immigrants are pressing the park system for better facilities in sports that have rarely been played before in Minnesota, such as cricket. And many city residents come from cultures with no background in tennis.

That doesn't mean the Parks Board won't continue to invest in tennis courts, Schmidt said. But tight budgets mean it has to be careful where the money goes, and he said some tennis courts could be returned to grass for soccer or lacrosse fields.

The emphasis will be on quality, not quantity, Schmidt said.