So I finally got around to checking out those tennis courts at West Hanover Street Playground today. Woke up thinking “man, I need some fresh air and exercise”, so I grabbed my racket and water bottle around 2 PM. Drove over there – traffic wasn’t too bad on a Tuesday afternoon.
Parking situation’s kinda messy. Spent like 10 minutes circling before snagging a spot near the basketball courts. Walked over to the tennis section and noticed something weird right away: all four courts were empty but locked up tight with chain nets. No damn sign explaining why. Pulled out my phone to check the city parks page but my data was crawling slower than a turtle.
What I figured out after asking around
Tracked down this maintenance dude trimming bushes. Guy had grass stains up to his elbows but knew the scoop:
- Courts only open after 3 PM on weekdays
- Weekends start at 8 AM sharp
- No lights at all so forget night play
- First come first serve – zero reservation system
Sat on a bench killing time till 3. Watched some squirrels go nuts chasing each other. Soon as the clock hit three, this parks employee shows up with keys. Took him a solid 15 minutes to unlock all the nets cause the padlocks were rusty as hell.
Actual playing experience
Surface had more cracks than my grandma’s china. Bounces went all over the place but hey – it’s free public courts. Wind kicked up around 4:30 making serves impossible. Lasted about an hour before my buddy started bitching about his tennis elbow. Saw people lining up near the fence wanting next turn when we left.
Big takeaways:
- Bring water fountain’s busted
- Wear decent shoes for the uneven concrete
- Weekday afternoons are less crowded than mornings
- Seriously – bring your own lock if you wanna secure stuff
Kinda disappointed they don’t maintain it better. But for free tennis in the neighborhood? Guess you get what you pay for. Might go back next Thursday if my shoulder stops hurting.