FARMINGTON — The large cracks in the Hippach Field tennis courts will disappear next year when the courts are reconstructed with the help of a Land and Water Conservation grant.

The federal grant of $20,000 is administered through the Maine Department of Conservation, said Joe Nelson, assistant director of the Farmington Recreation Department.

The grant requires matching funds from the town; $25,000 the department has been holding in a reserve account for the project will be used. The project is estimated to cost $40,000, which will leave a $5,000 contingency amount.

A similar grant was used to build the courts in 1977, Nelson said. At that time, the courts had a life expectancy of 20 years. “Obviously, we’re well beyond that now,” he said.

Reconstruction is slated to begin in June 2010 after the Mt. Blue tennis season has ended. Estimated to take two to four weeks, the Recreation Department hopes to have the courts reopened for July and August. The courts remain open until the second snow for the many faithful tennis players in the area, he said. “The first snow usually melts, so we close them after the second one.”

The department’s grant request was one of five projects statewide to be approved. Eleven projects were submitted from across the state, Nelson said.

“It was very competitive,” he said of his first attempt at applying for grant funds. More than $400,000 was requested by 11 agencies, with the five approved garnering $130,000, he said.

After putting the project out to bid, two sides of the court will be taken down along with the backboard. The pavement will be ground and a new subsurface, as well as paving, painting and lining the courts will be undertaken. The footprint will remain the same.

“It’s been dangerous for people to play there,” Nelson said.

The courts get a lot of use from community members, high school programs, the Recreation Department’s summer program for children and students at the University of Maine at Farmington, he said.

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Leaves are falling and temperatures are dropping, but that doesn’t stop ardent tennis players from enjoying the courts at Hippach Field in Farmington on Wednesday morning. A grant will help reconstruct the courts that have outlived their life expectancy, said Joe Nelson, assistant director of the Farmington Recreation Department. Next summer, players can expect a totally redone court.

Leaves are falling and temperatures are dropping, but that doesn’t stop
ardent tennis players from enjoying the courts at Hippach Field in
Farmington on Wednesday morning. A grant will help reconstruct the
courts that have outlived their life expectancy, said Joe Nelson, assistant director of the Farmington Recreation Department. Next summer, players can expect a
totally redone court.