Construction of 15 new tennis courts and an adjacent facility for Westfield Washington Schools is underway.
WWS faculty, staff and students assembled Nov. 12, at a property at 17695 Shamrock Blvd. in Westfield for the groundbreaking that signaled the start of construction for a long-anticipated addition to the district.
Westfield High School Athletic Director Andy Tebbe said $10 million is going into the construction of the tennis courts and facility. He said the new courts were necessary because of the poor condition of the school’s courts. The new courts are part of the Destination Westfield Initiative strategic plan.
According to Tebbe, it made more financial sense to build new courts than to invest in repairs for the old ones.
“We just chose not to throw good money at those (old) courts and just sacrifice a year or two of home matches until these (new courts) were built,” Tebbe said.
WWS Superintendent Paul Kaiser said the courts will be constructed with concrete reinforced with metal, enabling them to last much longer than traditional courts.
Tebbe said the courts will be used primarily by high school and middle school students for practice and competitions but can be used by the public at other times. The courts are expected to be finished by summer 2024. A new locker room and concession stand are being built as well.
