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+ Tennis Center serves community
Dear Editor:
In reply to the letter from Mr. Bennett on the Tennis Center, I wonder if he would also consider the closing of other city and county activities not used by a majority of taxpayers, such as the Community Center, bike and walking trails, the new horseshoe pits, sidewalks not needed for children’s access to schools, the children shows at the library, and I could probably go on for a dozen more.

It’s not a matter of closing but finding a way to operate the Tennis Center more efficiently, and not everything run by the city or county is there to make a profit but to provide a service to the taxpayers.

As to the Tennis Center, I think it will never make a profit, but it will supply a service to the community.

Here are some of my suggestions for the center: If you look at the public courts in the city and county, you will find many people playing tennis who can’t afford to play at the center. Why not use slack times to lower the price to play? Empty courts don’t make money.

Do away with the outside management company; it is only an added cost. If the city doesn’t want to use city employees for various reasons, then do as most companies do: Hire part-time employees without benefits. Use public means to reach the public court players; the center is not for the just $80,000-a-year players but for all citizens of this beautiful city.

Robert Reiner
Palm Coast

+ Tennis players should buy it
Dear Editor:
The tennis players in Palm Coast griped long enough to get a private facility, which is now in financial trouble. There are 76,499 Palm Coast residents paying for a private and now semi-private sports facility, including salaries and maintenance, for less than 2% of our residents. Why don’t the tennis players buy this white elephant facility? Then, they won’t have to play with the average resident.

Our City Council missed the boat for not purchasing the vacant tennis courts with a swimming pool and snack bar. That could be converted into a pay-to-play sports facility with other sports available.

Walter Albano
Palm Coast

 

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