by John Young
On November 17th, ANC 3F will have an opportunity to support a resolution to restore public access to the five tennis courts located at UDC.
Over 15 years ago, UDC unilaterally and abruptly terminated public access to these five courts.
The resolution is a positive and necessary step in returning a public asset back to the public. Additionally, a petition requests that Council member Cheh and Mayor Bowser act to ensure that these public courts are rightfully returned to the public.
Much has changed in the community surrounding the tennis courts in 15 years. The population has grown exponentially, and apartments and retail have sprouted up along the Connecticut Avenue corridor. The community should be able to use public resources to support growing community demands.
But even more so, as our community faces the pandemic, all available public resources should be made available. Tennis is one of the few socially-distanced activities that our community can engage in. Tour the city and you will see tennis courts being utilized responsibly by players of all ages. The UDC courts should not be the exception. And, to be clear, these are public courts and should be administered just as the other 149 public tennis courts throughout the eight wards of the District of Columbia are.
Finally, the lack of public access to these five courts is more reflective of a continuing cycle of missed opportunities for UDC and the community to partner and grow together. Opening the tennis courts will be a good first step in community growth and partnership.
Please reach out to your ANC commissioner and ask them to support this resolution and please sign on to the petition.
John Young has lived in the Wakefield/Van Ness neighborhood since 2003. He and his wife, Donna, played tennis on the UDC tennis courts before and after they were married. Their daughter, Olivia, 13, is an 8th grader at Alice Deal and is a member of the Deal tennis club and active participant of the Lafayette tennis club. She has yet to play on the UDC tennis courts. Their three-year-old golden retriever, Chloe, also enjoys chasing tennis balls.
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George Hofmann says
Community access is a major point for the new Forest Hills, Wakefield and Van Ness neighborhood. Greater lines of communication and greater participation by the entire community are essentials if we are to achieve a just society for all, and as the writer says, it starts in small but effective ways.
Merry says
We’ve often wondered about those courts – thanks for sharing this info.
Stanley Hallet says
Bravo John:
Returning these courts to the public is indeed long overdue and if returned will become another asset to living in this wonderful neighborhood.
Juanita says
The tennis courts at the University of the District of Columbia have not been closed to the public for the past 15 years. The courts have always been available through the “Tennis Club” which can be found on the Athletic Departments web page. The tennis courts have been closed to students, faculty, staff, and the community beginning in spring of 2018 as they became unusable after the heavy winter freeze the District experienced.
The tennis courts are currently under construction and weather permitting, will be open for use in the summer of 2021. While the University is open to community use of the tennis courts and pool, community members must understand that students, faculty, and staff pay fees for their use. It is not permissible to allow community members to use them for free.
Mahana Weidler says
This is false information. The “Tennis Club” exists in name only. About a year ago (prior to it being shut down completely) I tried more than 20 times, over a span of a month to contact the “Tennis Club” via the number provided on UDC’s website. No one ever answered the phone or returned my call.
Bryan says
“students, faculty, and staff pay fees for their use.”
I pay fees as well, they’re called taxes..UDC is a public university, run by the government, a government I pay taxes to.
“It is not permissible to allow community members to use them for free.”
Why? You state this, but don’t actually state a reason why. Is this a law? A university policy (one that could easily be changed).
Maxwell Jonas says
These tennis courts were not closed to the public for 15years. That’s simply not true. I have played on these courts several times as a resident of Van Ness. I also donated to UDC to ensure they have funds to support students. This outrage to use the tennis courts seem like another case of White liberals over stepping (similar to the dog walker on Howard University’s yard). Raise your hand if you have ever directly donated to UDC. Let’s support the university so that they can repair the courts.