The Princeton Council has approved a new lease with the Princeton Tennis Program, a nonprofit, which offers tennis lessons to the community at Community Park.
With the new lease comes a few changes. The Princeton Tennis Program will lease 12 of the 15 tennis courts at the Community Park South tennis facility. It had previously leased 15 tennis courts.
The three remaining tennis courts will be dedicated for pickleball. The pickleball courts are open daily from dawn to dusk on a first-come, first-serve basis, according to the Princeton Recreation Department.
The new lease begins March 1 and ends Feb. 28, 2025. It includes two additional one-year rollover options. It also states that the Princeton Tennis Program will notify the town of the start and end dates for its season, which typically runs from mid-April to mid-October.
Leasing the 12 tennis courts to the Princeton Tennis Program does not restrict the public’s use of those tennis courts. The public may use the tennis courts before and after the Princeton Tennis Program season.
During the Princeton Tennis Program’s season, the public also may use the tennis courts via a daily pass and/or open court time available on a first-come, first-serve basis.
The new lease increases the rent paid by the Princeton Tennis Program from $20,000 to $32,000 per year. It is the first increase since 2012, officials said.
The change to a one-year lease with the option to renew for two years in lieu of a three-year lease was made to allow for potential facility changes at Community Park South, officials said.
The Princeton Council hired a consultant last year to study and prepare concept plans to potentially redesign and improve Community Park South. The park is bordered by Route 206 and the Witherspoon-Jackson neighborhood.
Community Park South consists of the tennis and pickleball courts, several baseball fields, a large multipurpose athletic field, a dog park, a walking trail around its perimeter and a picnic pavilion. Two basketball courts and a playground are located next to the Community Park School.