AMP courts reopening to take awhile

The American Memorial Park tennis courts will not reopen soon as clearing and repair works are needed to make the facility safe for public use.

The American Memorial Park tennis courts are still closed after it sustained damage from Typhoon Soudelor last month. (Roselyn B. Monroyo)

“Last week, I specifically looked at the tennis courts’ needs for repairs for safe use. While our local staff can complete most of the tree removal, both the damaged fencing and lights will need removal and repair before the courts can be opened again,” said Jim Richardson, superintendent of War in the Pacific NHP (Guam) and the American Memorial Park (Saipan).

He added that fencing and lighting repair works will be done by contractors and it will take several months to determine the company or companies that will complete these jobs. Shipment of the materials needed for the repairs will also require a long waiting time.

“Knowing the contracting timelines, we are looking at probably February or March for the fencing and likely a month or more after that for the lighting. We will open the courts as soon as they are safe to do so and once the fence is complete and all hazards have been removed,” Richardson said.

The AMP tennis courts have been closed since Typhoon Soudelor struck Saipan early last month. The entrance to the facility is blocked by big logs while tree branches are scattered around the four courts. Some light posts either fell on the ground or sustained damage, just like the fence. The steel bleacher tumbled and some portions of it were crumpled.

A month after the typhoon, some tennis players have inquired about the reopening of the courts and Saipan Tribune learned there were others who even volunteered to clean up the facility. However, though the players’ initiative was appreciated, AMP insisted on their safety with the light posts and fence still needing repairs.

The closure of the AMP tennis courts came just a few months after the facility underwent renovation early this year. With the unavailability of the AMP tennis courts anew for the remaining months of 2015 and possibly the first two quarters of 2016, Saipan players may have to look for alternative venues for their practice sessions and tournaments.

Right now, some players are using courts located at the various hotels on Saipan, but slots are limited as these are private property and are being used by hotel guests, too. Fortunately, the local tennis season is still in offseason and tournaments will not start until November with the staging of the Tan Holdings Tennis Classic.

Other Northern Mariana Islands Tennis Association-sanctioned events set for next year and are usually held at the AMP tennis courts are the Coconut Tennis Classic in February and the CNMI Junior Tennis Championships in April. Saipan Tribune called NMITA official Jeff Race last night to ask where the association will hold the tournaments that may be affected by the AMP tennis courts closure, but he has yet to return the call at press time.