Ryder Park tennis court construction underway

Two days before the Thanksgiving snow began to fly, the concrete for Grand Island’s four new tennis courts was poured at Ryder Park.

Grand Island Tennis Association board member Phil Maltzahn had told the city council last summer that the two asphalt tennis courts at Ryder Park were so heavily cracked that tennis balls bounced unpredictably during games.

The tennis association asked to team up with the city to secure grants and funding to replace the courts.

Tennis Association’s Missouri Valley section and $95,000 from the Grand Island Tennis Association.

Tennis association members favored the Ryder Park location for the additional courts because of easy access to Highway 281.

The Ryder courts are also located between Grand Island’s two other best tennis court sites the five courts at Grand Island Senior High and two at Buechler Park.

“We’ve always had a lot of tennis courts in Grand Island, but a lot of them have deteriorated a bit.”