Ask the Mayor: When Will the Tennis Courts at Eddie Tam Be Repaired?

Eddie Tam tennis courts May 2016. Photo: Debra Lordan

Mayor Alan Arakawa answers some of the questions submitted to his office staff.

Submit your own questions about County of Maui programs, services, operations or policies to Mayor Alan Arakawa via email at AskTheMayor@mauicounty.gov, call 270-7855 or send them by mail to 200 S. High St., 9th Floor, Wailuku, HI 96793. Questions submitted will be considered for inclusion in the “Ask the Mayor” column.

Mayor Arakawa,

Q: When will the tennis courts at Eddie Tam be repaired?

Both courts are in deplorable condition with approximately one-half-inch-wide cracks crossing the courts.

The nets are damaged and sagging. Out of four light poles with dual lights, one-and-a-half pairs are not working and another pair will not stay on, leaving three lights in operation where there should be eight.

In addition, the wind screening around the courts has disappeared.

A: The results of the Maui County Department of Parks and Recreation’s needs-assessment survey mailed recently to many Maui County households will help determine any future repairs or rebuilding of the tennis courts at Eddie Tam, and in Hali‘imaile and Pukalani.

Park users may not realize just how expensive court repairs are. A temporary band-aid fix could cost $20,000-30,000 per court; a complete rebuild will cost $300,000 to 500,000 per court.

The tennis community at large seems to prefer placing several courts at one location, rather than the current situation, where fewer courts are located at multiple sites that are not ideal to begin with, weather-wise.

If you received a park needs survey in the mail, please be sure to complete and return it to supply the department with sufficient data so that future funding for tennis court improvements can be prioritized accordingly.