Greenway curfew
The Cleveland City Council voted 7-0 last week on an ordinance that prevents juveniles under 18 years of age from being on the city’s greenway between 11 p.m. and 6 a.m. unless accompanied and supervised by a responsible adult.The change in greenway rules was made at the request of the Cleveland Police Department following a series of vandalism incidents that have occurred on the greenway this summer.
CLEVELAND, Tenn. - An overhaul may be in the works for Deer Park's tennis court, which is criss-crossed with fissures, some of which are as deep and wide as two inches or choked with low weeds.
In a recent meeting, the Cleveland City Council requested diagrams and detailed information concerning the costs and work associated with repairing, replacing or doing away with the court's cracked playing surface.
"The court has nearly 600 linear feet of structural cracking that has opened up wide enough to impact play," said Patti Pettit, director of Cleveland Parks and Recreation in a report presented to city leaders. "The cracks cannot be permanently repaired without a complete demolition/reconstruction."
It will cost $45,000 to demolish and reconstruct the court or $18,000 to temporarily repair it, according to Pettit's preliminary estimates.
Repairs to the court, which are projected to last three to five years, call for utilizing a fabric crack treatment and resurfacing, said Pettit.
The cost for replacing the court area with green space has not been determined yet, she said.
Councilman Richard Banks questioned whether people actually use Deer Park's tennis court.
"I really do," said Pettit. "People are trying to play on it now."
Councilman Dale Hughes assured Banks that the court would be used if restored.
Players are looking for courts all over town, but Lee University's tennis courts are the only ones in top condition, said Hughes.
Councilman Bill Estes expressed concerns regarding the current size of the Deer Park tennis court.
"Anybody that is serious about tennis" will not play at the court because there is not enough space to do so, said Estes.
While the court itself may be regulation size, there is not actually enough room to play, he said.
City Council members said they wanted to know the potential impact of expanding the court's footprint with the park.
Paul Leach is based in Cleveland. Email him at paul.leach.press@gmail.com.