Tennis Courts on the Rebound
After helping to retire the debt for building the Bloomfield-Centre-Carroll swimming pool, the New Bloomfield Lions Club was in search of a new project. The desire to serve the community led the Lions Club to install two tennis courts immediately south of the pool. The courts were built to standard specifications so that players could play on regulation-size courts. At the time there were no public tennis courts in New Bloomfield. Tennis players had to know someone who would let them use a private court, or travel when they wanted to play a few sets.
The courts that the New Bloomfield Lions Club had installed have always been free for public use. Over the years they have been maintained by the Lions Club, including at least one major overhaul some years ago. This summer club members realized that the condition of the courts needed attention. After some cracks in the surface were patched, the courts were repainted to clearly define the area of play and out of bounds.
Lions met on August 10, 2017, to celebrate the newly refurbished courts. Lion member Red Adams reminisced about the decision to have the courts installed. “A couple folks in town had grass courts on their property, but there wasn’t any public access to them. We knew people liked to play and thought this would benefit the community,” Adams said. At one time there were wind break panels on the fences around the courts, Adams remembered. The panels wore out over the years, and Adams expressed the wish that they could be replaced.
From financial support when the BCC Pool was built through the present refurbishing of the tennis courts, New Bloomfield Lions Club projects are made possible by the community. Ticket sales and support of Lions Community Theater and summer lemonade sales at locations such as the New Bloomfield Firemen’s carnival and the Perry County Fair, provide the bulk of the monies for these projects. The Lions also provide financial support to New Bloomfield Boy Scout Troop 92, the Bloomfield Public Library, the BCC pool’s ongoing needs, and other community activities.
The tennis courts are located beside the BCC pool on Chestnut Street in New Bloomfield. The courts are open to the public. Play is first come, first served. So long as the courts are treated with respect they will benefit the community for many more years.