Love-ly net gain for tennis boosters in pickleball debate
After several weeks of meetings and planning, Lee County Commissioner Kevin Ruane, on behalf of the county, met with several island tennis advocates, agreeing to keep the two tennis courts on Wheeler Road.
Commissioners will move forward with a plan to resurface and upgrade lighting on the two tennis courts while beginning the process of locating another place nearby for pickleball courts, according to a letter sent to the Beacon from the newly formed “Friends of Tennis Committee.”
The Beacon first reported on this issue on Jan. 18, when island resident Nancy Leckerling commented in person at a Tuesday, Jan. 16 Lee County Commissioners meeting. Leckerling implored the county to keep both public tennis courts, rather than move forward with the proposed plan to replace one of them with several pickleball courts.
The discussion prompted a meeting at the courts organized and led by Cam Watts. Many members of the community on both sides of the issue met to discuss whether there should be more tennis or pickleball courts available for free use on the island. One item discussed at the meeting was a Lee government policy requiring the maintenance of the two existing tennis courts.
After the meeting, a group of tennis advocates formed a group that they named the “Friends of Tennis Committee” and were able to schedule Monday’s successful meeting with Ruane.
Read the full letter from Nancy and Jon Leckerling, Cam Watts and Mark Horan here.
