Oakesdale eyes fate of town tennis court

The future of an aging 1970s tennis court in Oakesdale was discussed at a town council meeting May 3. City council members asked who owned the property and whether the city would even want to take on restoration of the court.

Councilmen wondered aloud if the Oakesdale School District owns the lot and what the district might want to do with it.

Suggestions such as restoring it to a tennis court or a skating park were tossed on the table. The council decided to contact the school district to hear their thoughts.

“It’s got a sinkhole in it. There’s trees growing up in the middle of it,” said Oakesdale Mayor Dennis Palmer.

“There’s trees? Cut them down,” said councilman Tom Crooks.

The old tennis court is located on Second street, near the Oakesdale school. Council member Randy Robinson pointed out the city might not want that land anyway because of the costs of a clean-up and no guarantee of eventual revenue.

“Unless you have a plan for it, I’m not sure the city wants it anymore than the school wants it,” Robinson said.

Robinson later added there are no solid plans for the lot; the council is merely discussing what to do with it.

He estimated the court was built in the early 1970s and used for tennis for many years.

“We don’t want a row of trees growing in the middle of it,” Palmer said.

“Right. We could make it into a fenced arboretum,” Crooks joked.