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Court project gets go-ahead from Weirton park board

TO BE UPGRADED — During a special meeting held Thursday morning, members of the Weirton park board agreed to move forward with a project to renovate the tennis and basketball courts at Starvaggi Memorial Park. -- Craig Howell

WEIRTON — Weirton’s Board of Parks and Recreation will be moving forward with a project to renovate the tennis and basketball courts at Starvaggi Memorial Park, following a special meeting held Thursday.

The board has been discussing the renovation proposals in recent months, noting it had received $50,000 from the J.C. Williams Foundation, and hoped for additional funding in the coming months. On Thursday, board members revealed Weirton Council also was setting aside $50,000, from coal severance funds, to assist with the project.

Proposals have included installing new blacktop on the courts, as well as new striping and sealing, fencing and lighting. Officials noted there is an immediacy for the blacktop, as the project is set to be done at the same time as the city’s street paving.

Public Works Director Rod Rosnick, who sat in on Thursday’s meeting, explained the street paving is supposed to be complete by early October.

The current projections would include paving, striping and sealing for $98,010; fencing for $40,000 and lighting for $160,000.

Prior to making the decision, board members discussed various options to either seek additional funds or control the costs, including performing the project in phases or even waiting until next year to begin.

Board Chair Ed Bowman pushed for the board to approve the full package on the project, saying he wants the renovations to last and to stand out for the residents of Weirton and surrounding communities.

“Whatever we do, I want it to be top shelf,” Bowman said.

Rosnick said if the board were to wait until the spring for the blacktop, there would be a cost increase of at least 1 to 2 percent.

Others said while cost needs to be considered, delaying aspects of the project could have negative results.

“You’re going to run into cost increases no matter what,” board member Doug Finton said.

Board member Deb Witkowski asked if other funding avenues were being explored. Parks Director Terry Weigel said staff has been looking at other grant options, with Bowman saying they also could speak with the county commissions and the schools.

Both Weir High School and Weirton Madonna High School use the tennis courts, although board members noted there is no financial assistance provided by the schools.

Weigel suggested only focusing on the paving and fencing, saying he felt purchasing high-end lighting would be a bad investment.

“You’ll have a wonderfully lit court that will service about 50 people,” Weigel said, suggesting the board, instead, look into less expensive lighting or repairing the existing system.

Board member Iris Himmelrick asked if the lighting is even needed, as high school tennis season is in the spring. Weigel said while he doesn’t usually get complaints about lighting issues at the courts, some tennis matches do stretch after dark. Finton said the basketball court usually has more need of the lights.

Board members agreed additional projects for the park would be discussed in the future.

“This is only one step in a lot of other projects,” Bowman said, adding there is a need to pave the parking lot and renovate some of the shelters.

(Howell can be contacted at chowell@weirtondailytimes.com, and followed via Twitter @CHowellWDT)

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