By Jason Scheer
The school's tennis courts, which are located in the north corner of the campus, are going to be removed in order to expand the adjacent playground area.
Gerry Field, a frequent user of the facilities, says the community is losing a valuable asset.
"There's no genuine justification for taking [the courts] out," he said. "It hurts property values and hurts the neighbors in the community."
He has let his thoughts be known through frequent letters sent to Baldwin School Board president James Scannell and assistant superintendent for business Ed Cigna.
Scannell said the removal of the Milburn courts are part of the $27 million bond issue approved last year. The bond calls for a refurbishment of the tennis courts at the middle school and the high school.
Scannell explained that, prior to the final approval of the bond, the Board of Education announced the formation of a facilities committee, which consisted of school district staff and members of the community. The committee met from May through September 2003, visited district facilities and compiled a list of projects to include in the bond. Closing of the Milburn courts, Scannell explained, was recommended by the committee.
Furthermore, Scannell contends that residents were given ample opportunity to voice their opinions and were notified of bond informational meetings through local publications, like the Herald and the Baldwin Beat.
"Plans for the entire bond issue were made clear to the community through a wide variety of means," Scannell said.
Field feels that residents who frequent the courts have been duped.
"What they're asking the Milburn community to do is unfair," he said of taking away something from one area and giving it to another.
He also said that, in his opinion, students at Milburn have ample play space.
"More play area at Milburn hardly seems to be a pressing necessity," he said in a letter to Cigna.
It appears as if it's too late to make changes. Signs are already hanging around the netless courts that indicate the facilities are closed for good.
Tarun Salwan lives directly across from the courts. Salwan, who says he plays tennis in the summer, said that he had not heard of the decision to close the courts prior to being interviewed by the Herald. He said that he would be sad to see it go.
"I would be upset because it's right in front of my house and that would lower my property value," he said. "People would buy this house because, in the summer, they can always go over there to play a game."
Kit Singh, fellow neighbor, said that he and his son, Teeran, a first grader at Milburn, frequently use the courts. He questions the decision made by the facilities committee.
"If they are going to spend the money to build new courts, isn't it cheaper just to fix this one up?" he asked.
According to correspondence from the district's administration, the committee plans to create new courts, and renovate the existing ones, at the middle and high schools. Renovations and additions are being made at the middle and high schools because tennis is part of their phys. ed. instruction, and is not at the Milburn School.
Comments about this story? Jscheer@ liherald.com or (516) 569-4000 ext. 282.
