Published: March 13, 2007 11:09 pm         

Park board pledges tennis courts funding

Enid Park Board pledged $50,000 from its budget Tuesday to help pay for construction of tennis courts at Crosslin Park.

Bids for construction were opened recently and were much higher than the $40,000 each that was expected, according to officials.

The lowest bid was $382,000 for four courts and $660,000 for all eight proposed courts. City Finance Director Jerald Gilbert told the board some errors had been discovered in the bids, so the cost may not be quite as high as it appears, although it is higher than the anticipated amount.

Board member Ron Janzen was incredulous over the cost.

“It’s just a concrete slab with a fence,” he said.

Board chairwoman Carolyn Nicholas said the low bid in-cludes handicapped paths up to the courts, plus lighting. Enid Public Services Director Jim McClain said city crews could build the courts but are short-staffed, and other items are higher priority.

Nicholas also told board members they are waiting for a donation from St. Mary’s Regional Medical Center of equipment from tennis courts near the hospital. The courts are on land the hospital will expand onto, and hospital officials offered equipment to the board.

Nicholas and board member Coni Blankenship have raised $189,000 in donations and pledges, plus $145,000 from Cummins Foundation, the city budget and an existing fund for construction of the tennis courts. The entire amount raised is $334,000.

Fundraising will continue to build at least six of the eight courts, and the board will request additional funding from the city. The construction contract must be awarded by May 2.

In other business, an exclusive use permit was given to Gaslight Theatre for the week of June 18-24 for the theater to present Shakespeare in the Park. Carmen Ball, speaking for the theater, said Enid is the only remaining town in Oklahoma that has a free outdoor Shakes-peare performance.

The board also granted an exclusive use permit to Enid Tennis Association for the South Government Springs tennis courts from March 26 to Nov. 8.