Millbrook repaves tennis courts

MILLBROOK — The  Millbrook Village Board was pleased to let residents know that they can once again hit the courts, as the local tennis courts are now fit to play.

The courts were recently repaved thanks to community members in the village of Millbrook and town of Washington, who donated every cent of the $31,000 it took to renovate the formerly in-poor-condition courts.

Located near Elm Drive Elementary School on Maple Avenue in the village, the tennis courts have always been a favorite place for locals to gather, practice and play. In recent years, though, the surface had become cracked and in need of repair.

A concerted effort was made by a group of residents, many avid tennis players, and others concerned citizens. They worked with the Village Board to raise awareness throughout the town and village and started a fundraising campaign. Articles and news briefs were published multiple times in this newspaper to aid in the effort.

Village Clerk Sarah Witt also kept the community apprised of the fundraiser’s success with a thermometer that showed its progress as the months rolled along.

On Tuesday, July 19, all the hard work paid off. The revitalized courts were ready for action, said Mayor Tim Collopy.

“We’re really happy that the community can come together like this,” he said. “It was more than we could ask for — it is really a win/win for all of us.”

The mayor added that the next project centered around the tennis courts will be to update its backboards and benches.

Village Trustee Peter Doro and Highway Supervisor Bob Collocola are looking at what that might entail and cost. The backboards need to be resurfaced and painted; they are currently painted green.

In his monthly newsletter, Collopy expressed his appreciation to all who helped make the most recent improvements at the village amenity.

“Thanks to the generous donations of Millbrook Tribute Garden, local businesses and residents,” he wrote.

He added while it cost the village more to repair the courts then originally intended, as the “contracted price [increased] due to a fuel surcharge and an additional 125 feet of cracks [that] needed repair,” he said a local donor generously made up the difference.

Collopy added the work to resurface and paint the backboards is being planned for the fall; the original bid for that project came in at $28,000.

OVAL TENNIS of Somers did repaired the surface of the courts after the village awarded the bid in the fall of 2021.

The work was done on both courts and took two weeks to complete. It included “an acrylic color system and an armor crack repair system,” stated the mayor.