A year and a half after being put out to bid, work has begun on the reconstruction of the Glenn Kyler tennis courts off West 4th Avenue in Boulder.
Last week, workers from Helena Sand and Gravel removed the old asphalt surface, which had become badly cracked and heaved in recent years. Jefferson High School Superintendent Erik Wilkerson said new asphalt likely will be laid later this month.
The school expects to contract with Koch’s Courts, a Bozeman company, to apply a weather-resistant acrylic surface over the asphalt, probably in late spring of 2025. JHS tennis coach Eliza McLaughlin said the school probably would paint lines directly on the asphalt to make a playable court in the interim.
“It’s a weight off my shoulders,” McLaughlin said of the renovation. “I no longer have to plan practices around hazards or have daily safety talks with players. We’re going to be able to focus more on tennis, and it’s going to be noticeable in our competitions.”
The budget for the work, according to Wilkerson, is about $137,000 — which could go lower, since the gravel surface under the asphalt was in better condition than expected. Of the total, approximately $100,000 will be covered by American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds allocated by Jefferson County.
The project qualifies for ARPA funding because, although the courts are owned by the school, they are open to the public for recreational play.
The remaining costs will be paid for by Jefferson High from its maintenance account. The project is independent of the school’s nearly completed, two-year-long renovation and expansion. The school board in August approved a feasibility study to explore the possibility of installing a new football field and track with remaining funds.
