Tennis Pro To Rollerbladers: Please Don’t Wreck New Courts

By PAUL BASS | New Haven Independent

From his front-row seat under Edgewood Park’s “Lyin’ Tree,”
Billy Bostic was heartened to see a crew working on a new
tennis court surface — and disheartened to see skateboarders
and rollerbladers potentially mar the new work. 
Bostic, a retired firefighter who teaches tennis at Hillhouse
High School and to people at Edgewood Park, watched Friday
as a crew from the Madison-based “Driveway Doctor”
contracting company put finishing touches on new pavement
on one of the courts undergoing renovation. The estimated
$600,000-$625,000 project will include repaved courts, three
new pickleball courts, and updated seating and lighting at the
popular park.

The fencing isn’t up yet — and, Bostic reported, skateboarders
and rollerbladers have been entering the not-yet-finished
courts to try out the surfaces.
He pleaded with them to cross the pedestrian bridge to the
Edgewood skate park instead. “These are tennis courts that
are not made to be skated on,” he said.

City Engineer Giovanni Zinn said the fencing should go up
shortly, and final trenching for lights should be put in
next week. 
“We’re wrapping up” the project, he said. No date has yet to
be set for completion, he said, but “we’re aiming for later this
month.” At which point Bostic and the park’s other avid
players will be ready to retake the court.