TWIN FALLS, Idaho — Thursday marks the last day of school in Twin Falls, and the district isn't wasting any time starting on some summer facility upgrades– including the Twin Falls High School tennis courts.
“We did a five-year fix about 10 years ago. And we’ve just been kind of limping along with them," stated Superintendent Brady Dickinson. "It's to the point now that they're unsafe."
WATCH: Crews start removing the T.F.H.S. tennis courts - what's coming next?
According to Twin Falls Superintendent of Schools Brady Dickinson, it's out with the old and in with the new tennis courts.
“We knew it was coming, so we’ve been saving some money and putting money away to get it completed,” added Dickinson.
The $700,000 upgrades are being funded through an existing plant facility levy, a voter passed intiative to provide funds for projects just like this.
“That's a pretty big price tag for tennis courts, but that's what you have to do to keep tennis courts,” explained Dickinson.
This time, besides a simple concrete and asphalt slab, the district is going with a newer tennis court construction method designed to increase the courts' lifespan.
“With this court, we’re going to do a post-tension concrete system," said Dickinson. "The advantage to it is— a normal court, with just regular asphalt, will get you maybe 15 years— the new post-tension concrete courts will last between 30 and 50 years."
Sharing a parking lot with the Twin Falls city pool, the TFHS tennis courts have always been used as a community asset. Something Superintendent Dickinson says is not changing.
“This is an area that we want the community to use. I think when you're expending these kinds of funds on this kind of project, it's important that the community has access,” said Dickinson. “The primary use is for our students and our tennis program. But when not in use by the tennis program, we absolutely want to have community members there."
Depending on the weather, the courts will be completed within four to eight weeks.
The district has a few other projects slated for this summer, including HVAC upgrades at local elementary schools and a new roof at Canyon Ridge High School.
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