The Crested Butte News Serving the Gunnison Valley since 1999
The right weather is important
by Mark Reaman
While the new Crested Butte town tennis courts look great, there are still issues with the new surface that will result in a complete resurfacing of the courts next spring.
The complete court rebuilding project started a year ago, but when it came time to lay the new surface on the concrete, Renner Sports Surfaces of Denver, the company contracted to build the courts, did the work during a rainstorm, so the acrylic surface did not properly adhere to the concrete. There apparently was also significant concrete patching done to the slab prior to the surface application that was not given time to cure.
“They already tried patching it and it didn’t work. This has caused the surface to bubble after rainstorms. The bubbles get kicked off by players before they are fully dry, creating chips in the surface,” explained Crested Butte parks and recreation director Janna Hansen. “It is too bad that has taken place but Renner is doing the work under its contract.
“The chipping is always visible but the bubbling is only visible after a rain upon evaporation,” Hansen continued. “Due to overnight low temps the resurfacing will have to be done next spring or summer when lows do not drop below 40 degrees. The existing surface will be stripped prior to resurfacing. The entire process will likely take one to two weeks.”
Tennis players can continue to use the courts until they are temporarily closed for resurfacing in 2016. The company will also install new gates at the courts.
“Renner has installed the wrong size gates twice and hopefully the next set we get will not allow balls to fit through gaps between the gates and the fence,” Hansen said.
As for the cost of the new repairs, Hansen said the town is talking to Renner. “The town has withheld final payment of over $46,000 due to the defective work performed by Renner. We are still negotiating the terms of the resurfacing and the town has a two-year warranty beginning when the resurfacing is completed,” Hansen explained.
The new court project cost $266,000 and was a public-private partnership. There is a new shade structure and picnic area between the courts and the Pitsker Field outfield fence, with 10 new trees that were planted on October 2 in celebration of Arbor Day with the the CBCS fourth-grade forester program.
The town has also budgeted to pave the parking area on the west side of the courts to complete the new tennis court complex.
“The tennis community is ecstatic with the project and we have seen wonderful growth in our beginner tennis programs with folks who are excited to learn,” concluded Hansen. “Overall, this will be a great project for the town when it is finally completed.”
