Letter to the Editor: Will the Tennis Courts Ever Open?

Dear Editor:

I am a long-time resident of West Hollywood, and have lived in West Hollywood West the past seven years.

It has come to my attention that the long-awaited reopening of the tennis courts has been repeatedly delayed, although the courts themselves were completed by the contractor last April (if not sooner).

I am also a contractor and former NCAA tennis player who has built numerous courts in and around the Los Angeles area for many years and can confirm that the courts are complete with surfacing, line painting, nets, lights and card-anticipated security doors. In fact, the contractor did a superb job!

What is troubling is that when I contacted Chris Worland at in May, he told me that the city was “just beginning” to analyze management of other municipal tennis courts in order to get a handle on how to manage the courts above the parking structure at West Hollywood Park.

He also gave me the name of his supervisor who did not return four phone messages. Presumably, he was playing golf.

Obviously, there was no urgency to reopen the courts that were closed for renovations two years ago, even though they are perfectly fine to play on, and the garage which supports them is already in use.

It is with the utmost urgency that the City of West Hollywood should open the courts now and not wait for a study that should have taken place at the beginning of construction, and not at the end.

There is always time to modify the rules governing the tennis court usage later, but the summer is half over, and to deprive West Hollywood residents of these magnificent courts for even another week is surely an “out” ball, and should be reviewed.

Sincerely,
John Pieplow

West Hollywood Patch accepts Letters to the Editor from residents. Please e-mail yours to Local Editor Danielle Jacoby.