The Recreation Master Plan Steering Committee is constructing new pickleball courts and removing and reconstructing the existing tennis and basketball courts at Burchard Park using $1.9 million in Community Preservation Act funds. Part of this construction will involve removing invasive plant species along College Pond and replacing with native shrubs and ground cover.
Pickleball courts
The pickleball courts will be located in an area to the left of the fork shortly after the entrance to the Park. The plan includes six courts – four sized for competitive play and two sized for accessible play.
Tennis and basketball courts
The plan includes two new tennis courts in the exact same location as the existing courts. The basketball court will be in the same location but re-configured slightly to allow for two hoops instead of just the one that currently exists. This will be smaller than a regulation court, but will expand the basketball footprint by 33 square feet.
New and better technology
All courts will be constructed using post tension concrete, a new method that is preferrable to asphalt. The concrete base will be pressurized to prevent the foundational cracking that was present on the tennis and basketball courts before construction began.. The new courts are expected to last 30+ years and require minimal maintenance.
Timing
The project started in July and will be mostly complete in November. The final coatings and painting will take place early spring because of the temperatures in late fall/winter. We expect the courts to be ready by May, 2024 at the latest.
As of October 26, 2023, the project is on schedule. The concrete pads have been poured, tensioned, and are now within their 28-day curing cycle. Trees, shrubs and other plantings are going in as are walkways, benches and other furnishings. The site will quiet down for the winter, final coat and painting will take place in early spring. Some trees and shrubs will also be planted in the spring.
