The new tennis courts at Newton’s Aurora Park have a tentative opening date of mid-June. The project, funded jointly by the City of Newton and the Newton School District, is nearly completed, with the exception of the acrylic surface. Newton City Administrator Matt Muckler says the temperature has to be 55 degrees or above for 72 continuous hours in order to apply the acrylic surface. Given that, it’s estimated the contractor will not be able to apply the surface until late May or early June of next year. Once that’s done, poles and nets will be installed, and any remaining punch list items will be completed. The cost to resurface the six previous courts and add two additional courts and new lighting has exceeded $1 million. Muckler says the high school tennis teams will get a big benefit from having the two additional courts. 

“They have eight courts that allow them to play at one location, instead of having to divide up the varsity and junior varsity between Aurora Park and Maytag Park.”

The hope was the tennis courts could be completed this year, so they could be used for the boys tennis season next spring. But Muckler says the project has encountered many hurdles, including unanticipated field conditions requiring additional problem-solving and negotiations with a neighboring property, which took significantly longer than expected.