Experts are trying to figure out what can be done to fix a puzzling issue that caused the closure of new tennis courts at Binghamton Recreation Park.
Workers from Vestal’s Broome Bituminous Products removed the top layer of asphalt from the complex in April. The courts then resurfaced.
Mayor Jared Kraham said the material originally used on the courts “did not meet the city’s expectations for drainage and water resistance.”
The recreation park tennis court resurfaces on June 6, 2022. (Photo: Bob Joseph/WNBF News)
Despite the resurfacing work, problems persist with the tennis facility. Kraham said the consultants “continue to investigate both water and steam where they shouldn’t be in the field.”
The mayor said “we’re kind of turning every rock over – literally – to figure out what’s causing these problems”. He said while the city wanted to deal with the issue quickly, he also wanted it handled “responsibly”.
The tennis courts of the leisure park remain closed to the public. (Photo: Bob Joseph/WNBF News)
Kraham said there are still questions about “some fumes coming through the court.” He said “why” there is still water or fumes in certain sections of the facility remains a mystery.
The mayor said the engineering company working on the issues brought in “outside people to look into” the situation.
Kraham said “some of the challenges” of the installation “are a bit new to people who have been working on tennis courts for 20 or 30 years.”
A view of the Rec Park tennis courts to the west. (Photo: Bob Joseph/WNBF News)
The mayor said experts were continuing to monitor the new surface to try to determine if there were any specific settlement or drainage issues.
Kraham said he wants the tennis courts open as soon as possible, noting that the Rec Park site is the busiest site in town.
The mayor said “it’s strange – almost a freak – with the way the surface of the pitch has been sealed, but there is a kind of bubbling” which is being investigated.
The original cost of the tennis court project was estimated at $1.5 million. It’s unclear how much more money could be spent on fixing lingering issues.
Contact Bob Joseph, WNBF News reporter: [email protected]. For the latest story development news and updates, follow @BinghamtonNow on Twitter.
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