DESPITE POSTED WARNINGS, the playing surface of the tennis courts at Parque de Vida is being damaged by in-line skaters and the courts will likely have to be resurfaced sooner than expected.

By Kevin Denke
Journal Intern

After recent damage, the Cortez Parks and Recreation Department is pleading for in-line skaters and skateboarders to showcase their abilities at the skate park and not at local tennis courts.

The plea comes after significant damage was done, presumably by in-line skaters, to the tennis courts in Parque de Vida.

According to Parks and Rec director Chris Burkett, in-line skates are pointed at the bottom and when they get on the rubberized surface of a tennis court, they cut it. The damage done to the tennis courts was spread out across the courts but was particularly heavy on the court on the right side. Burkett doesn’t believe the damage was intentional but now believes the tennis courts will have to be resurfaced sooner than the normal three- to five-year time span.

"We don’t think it was intentional; somebody just thought it was a nice place to skate," explained Burkett. "We might have to go in and resurface the courts much earlier than we intended to."

Parks and Rec didn’t receive any reports of skaters on the courts, nor did any Parks and Rec workers witness anyone skating there, so they cannot pinpoint the exact time that the damage occurred.

Signs are posted at the entrance to the courts stating, "Absolutely no skateboards or rollerblades allowed." Burkett says anyone caught skating on the tennis courts could possibly be held liable for damage.

He encourages in-line skaters and skateboarders to take advantage of the skate park also at Parque de Vida and save the tennis courts for tennis players.

"Tennis courts are for tennis," said Burkett. "Tennis folks don’t go over and try and play tennis on the skate park."