Park officials learned earlier this week that the city has received $50,000 in grants to help pay for the new tennis courts at Phoenix Park.
Parks Director Darren Dunkle informed the Washington Park Board of the news at its Thursday night meeting.
Dunkle said the city was awarded a $35,000 grant through the national U.S. Tennis Association and a $15,000 grant through the U.S Tennis Association Missouri Valley chapter.
The city applied for the grants in the spring of 2011.
The grants will reduce the city’s share of the cost of the project. The city’s share will be funded out of the half-cent capital improvement sales tax fund.
In early December, city council members awarded a $538,600 contract to Sieve Contractors for the courts and other improvements at Phoenix Park.
Work at the park will include the construction of six lighted tennis courts and a 35-by-45-foot pavilion/restrooms facility.
Four of the courts and the pavilion/restroom facility will be located southwest of the parking lot and the two remaining courts will be near the park entrance.
Ground was broken at the park Dec. 5 and city crews have been providing in-kind services, such as connecting water and sewer lines and grading, before the contractor begins construction.
Footing and foundation work on the pavilion/restrooms facility has begun, but Dunkle said when crews were digging in that area, they found poor soil, so dirt from elsewhere in the city will be moved there.
Dunkle also said some trees had to be relocated within the park.
The city does not plan to close the existing courts at Optimist Park until the new courts at Phoenix Park are close to being finished to avoid any disruption to tennis players.
The Optimist Park courts will be demolished later to make way for a new skate park.
There also are two courts at the city fairgrounds that can be used.
The new tennis courts should be completed by the spring or early summer of next year.
The contract calls for the work to be completed no later than 180 days after commencement.
Phoenix Park is located south of the Phoenix Center II retail development.