City says clubhouse, bleachers will get upgrade
This rustic stone clubhouse looks quaint from the outside. However inside, the restrooms and main room are in need of a major upgrade!
Great news for tennis players in Pueblo! One of the biggest eyesores will get an upgrade according to the city. Unfortunately it may not happen for another couple of years.
I’m talking about the tennis clubhouse and bleachers at City Park. The clubhouse, built around the 1930s, is not wheelchair accessible. About a fourth of the restroom space is taken up by dismantled showers. Also, the concrete bleachers have been fenced off for roughly 20 years, according to one city employee.
The City Parks Department says there are plans for a much needed makeover. “We’re looking at renovating the clubhouse,” said Mike Sexton, City Parks Department. “That’s probably number one right now.”
The parks department plans to fix the bleachers so they can be used again. Plus, upgrade the restrooms to meet standards set by the Americans with Disabilities Act.
Sexton says the city will pay for the project using money from Ballot Question 1A. The measure, which voters approved in 2006, allows the county to keep excess tax money instead of refunding it to property owners. So far the money has been used to fund a new health department building and a major renovation project at the Pueblo ice arena.
Scott Hobson, a city planner says money from 1A will help fund two other main projects: the city park tennis facility and the city’s swimming pools.
However, the project isn’t a done deal by any means. “We’ll probably have to sit down with an advisory committee and get some recommendations because people have priorities,” said Sexton. “People want tennis (improvements), but people also want to see Lake Joy repaired and more kiddy rides and the softball fields upgraded,” he added.
So here is where you come in. We need to pressure our city leaders to fix the clubhouse and bleachers—which have been neglected far too long. Please join me in this effort and support the project. The City Park tennis complex is one of the best tennis facilities in the state! Let’s make it even better!!
