Mt. Lebanon Platform Tennis
Association Reopens Courts
T
he Mt. Lebanon Platform Tennis Association celebrated the
reopening of two of its courts at a ribbon-cutting ceremony in
September.
The new courts, which are located in Mt. Lebanon Park, replaced
two original courts that were installed in the 1970s, when the MLPTA
was first formed.
“The new courts now have better lights, a new surface and new
walkway in between the courts, eliminating steps that were in poor
condition,” says Don Gavette, MLPTA president.
Planning for the courts, which are open year-round, started
about six years ago, when the project was added to the Mt. Lebanon
long-term capital budget. MLPTA approached the township about
replacing the two courts that had reached the point where they had
become unsafe to play matches. Approval from the Mt. Lebanon
commissioners was received in late 2015 with the approval of their
2016 budget.
The MLPTA partners with Mt. Lebanon Township to share the cost
of the courts’ upkeep.
The project cost around $300,000, which covered the demolition
of the old courts, site preparation and construction of the new courts.
The MLPTA pledged $100,000 toward the project, which will be paid
over a 10-year period. The group also received a $10,800 “Grow the
Game” grant from the American Platform Tennis Association.
“[Platform tennis] is a great way to get outside in the winter and
break the monotony,” says MLPTA Vice President Matt Rogers.
“Perfect paddle weather is 35 degrees and cloudy, so it can turn
dreading the bad weather into actually looking forward to those
dreary days.”
The MLPTA plans to eventually increase the number of courts to a
total of six.
“We aspired to grow the game of paddle in Mt. Lebanon and
continue to provide a venue for new and up-and-coming players to
learn the game. To continue to do so, we will require more courts,”
says Rogers. “As a public facility, we have the advantage of not
demanding large membership dues, thus making the game accessible
to as many players as possible.” n
» For more information about the MLPTA, visit mtlebanon.org/247/Platform-Tennis-Court-Use.
48 724.942.0940 TO ADVERTISE | Mt. Lebanon