The resurfacing of six sets of athletic courts in the City of Williamsport has been proposed as the administration would like to use portions of the funds from American Rescue Plan, Community Development Block Grant and is in negotiations for receiving private donations.
Jon Sander, city engineer, told Council Public Works Committee the court resurfacings, which would include milling and resurfacing, have been put out to bid with requests for proposals and the lowest bid of $858,000 by R.C. Bowman Inc. of Mill Hall. The company recently completed similar work for Juniata College, he said.
The city proposes using about $150,000 in CDBG, $750,000 in American Rescue Plan funds and, as explained, there are efforts to obtain private donations, he said.
If this resurfacing plan is approved, the plan is to mill the old surface and install the high-level playing surface by Sportsmaster, which is a product they use in the U.S. Open in New York City, Sander said.
“We are excited,” Mayor Derek Slaughter, unable to attend the committee meeting due to his visit to the inauguration ceremonies in Harrisburg.
Afterward, Slaughter said the resurfacing of the park playing surfaces is expected to revitalize the city, creating conditions whereby the public safety is increased and neighborhood property values go up due to the upgrades nearby.
Some of the existing basketball, tennis and pickleball courts are not in the best of shape. If approved, Slaughter noted how this can only add to the city’s quality of life and provide more opportunity for the youth and families of the city and region to exercise and improve their games.
“When people move to the city they ask ‘What is the school district like, what is the neighborhood like and what are the parks like?’” he said.
The U.S. Air Force has provided a $9,500 sponsorship that will be used toward basketball hoops with the military branch’s insignia and information on how players might want to consider the Air Force as a career.
Slaughter — to the Sun-Gazette — laid out the tentative plan at this time, which is subject to change:
• One pickleball and two tennis courts at Cochran Primary School.
• Adding at least one pickleball court to Shaw Place Park.
• Upgrades to basketball and pickleball courts at Memorial Park.
• Upgrades to the basketball court at Youngs Woods.
• Upgrades to the tennis courts and basketball court at Shaw Place Park.
Much of these plans are in flux and the city wanted to get the initial bid package out as it continues to work with the Williamsport Area School District, which owns the Cochran property, on a possible memorandum of understanding through the Williamsport Area School District Educational Foundation.
In conjunction, the city has discussed donation with private foundations.
Councilman Vincent Pulizzi said it would be great to be able to have a viable playing surface at these parks. He noted, however, Cochran site is not owned by the city and estimated the cost using a formula of $13.35 per square foot, to be $224,413 for that school tennis court resurfacing.
“We’ve reached out to folks, who have actually reached out to us,” Slaughter said. He said he’s working with the district and the various foundations as part of the administration’s commitment to improving the parks and recreational opportunities for residents and visitors to the city.
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