Recreational area slowly crumbling
The Trout/Calkins courtyard features a wide range of recreational playing fields for students to enjoy.
It has remained nearly dormant, however, even during the warmer spring and summer months – and it’s not hard to see why.
Cracks and gouges have formed on the basketball and hockey courts, making the surfaces close to unplayable. Wooden boards are covering up missing fences on the tennis court.
Sand from the volleyball area has scattered around the cement – even onto the makeshift track surrounding the area.
“The (tennis) court was in decent shape, but on the basketball courts there were large cracks that could trip people up,” said Canton freshman Dan Levine. “There’s also a lot of un-elevated ground that can puddle up from rain.”
Levin played tennis in the courtyard with friends during the early fall semester and said the damaged area needs work.
If the area isn’t renovated, he said students and children could be at risk playing on the surfaces.
Steve Lawrence, associate vice president of Facilities Management, said no price tag can be put on a possible replacement or renovation because it hasn’t been inspected yet.
“You would determine the overall condition of the existing pavement to determine if a complete replacement was required versus partial replacement,” he said in an e-mail to Central Michigan Life.
Levine said despite the condition of the courtyard, he doesn’t think a complete renovation is needed.
“They could use better drainage on the courts so large puddles don’t form after a little rain,” he said.
Another important concern, Lawrence said, is the access of heavy equipment into the area.
“We would look at other utilities that may be impacted by a project in the area and sidewalks that could be damaged by heavy equipment,” he said.
