The Facility Re-Enhancement Project area between the St. Jerome’s and VES Schools.
Photo Marie Conboy
Council for the Town of Vermilion awarded the Tennis Court Resurfacing project to Flex Court Canada for the quoted price of $52,730 plus GST at a Council meeting on March 6.
The funds will be taken from the MSI (Municipal Sustainability Initiative) as approved by Council for the Town of Vermilion in the 2017 Capital Budget.
Council approved $175,000 of MSI funding for rebuilding the outdoor rink between St. Jerome’s and VES Schools and the resurfacing the tennis courts last year. Since then, the Fitness and Aquatic Centre Society application was approved, and a grant of $125,000 was received for the facility re-enhancement project.
“The existing asphalt tennis court surface, which was last resurfaced in 2005, has significant cracking throughout. A complete resurfacing of the tennis courts require that we deal more in depth with the standing water and drainage issue by re-grading the site and preparing the base for either a concrete or asphalt surface,” explained Shawn Bell, Town Community Services Director.
“We have also received approximately $8,300 in community donations.
The Vermilion Rotary Club said they are committed to donating $25,000 directly to the facility re-enhancement project within the next two years, but these funds have yet to be raised.
To date, we have spent roughly $270,000 on the outdoor rink, which leaves approximately $38,000 from the existing revenue for resurfacing and fencing the tennis courts,” Bell told Council.
“I have talked to other communities, and they said that resurfacing with Flex Court Canada is the best way to go. It has a 15-year warranty and its lifespan is 20 years,” said Bell.
Bell said that the new outdoor rink facility project will be an investment in the community’s future when complete.
“This facility re-enhancement project will be open for everyone in the community to use, and it’s in a great location between the two schools. I am hoping the project will begin construction by June,” he added.