USTA AWARDS $17,000 TO STONINGTON COMO FOR TENNIS COURT PROJECT

Stonington — The United States Tennis Association announced Wednesday that it has awarded a $17,000 grant to the Stonington Community Center

for the replacement of its four 50-year-old tennis courts.

The grant comes though the organization’s Facility Assistance Program, which “aims to support and provide communities access to safe, appealing and functional tennis environments.”

Since 2005 the USTA has allocated more than $12 million to help build and renovate more than 39,000 courts across the country. Recipients also receive technical assistance.

“We are committed to enhancing and building more tennis facilities in communities across the country,” Kurt Kamperman, the organization’s chief executive for community tennis, said in the announcement. “This program

allows us to assist in the development process of providing usable tennis venues to people of all ages, abilities and backgrounds to play and enjoy the health benefits of our great game.”

The USTA said the COMO “has proved its passion for tennis and growth with an outstanding $283,000 already raised for the project.”

With the exception of the USTA, private individuals have donated all the money for the $300,000 project, which will have the same blue Deco Turf surface as those at the National Tennis Center in New York, site of the U.S. Open. The old courts, which were removed last month, were riddled with cracks and weeds and had depressed areas. The new surface will be applied as soon as the COMO receives approval for its landscaping plan from the borough Planning and Zoning Commission.