When the community tennis courts next to Boothbay Region High School fell into a state of disrepair last year, talks of building three new courts surfaced in the local school district.

On June 5, talks turned to action when the Boothbay-Boothbay Harbor Community School District Board of Trustees unanimously accepted plans to move forward with the new tennis courts designed by Danielle Betts of the Knickerbocker Group.

The project calls for campus-wide enhancements that include three new tennis courts, the expansion of two existing athletic fields and a renovated parking area where the old courts currently exist. The entire project will most likely be installed in sections, according to the board of trustees.

The goal is to begin construction by mid-summer; but, before the courts can be built between the existing softball field and lower school parking lot, the first step is to secure the proper permitting from the Department of Environmental Protection.

Lauren Stockwell of Southport is a private environmental consultant. She is preparing an application with Betts to be submitted to the DEP. Stockwell said a Tier-1 application is being sought to fill a small portion of wetlands that lie south of where the proposed courts are to be built.

Gravel fill will be blasted from the new tennis courts ground and deposited in a small section of wetlands to expand a training field for football and track. Stockwell said the gravel fill will not disrupt the wetlands, and she is confident the DEP will approve the plans.

If the permits are submitted soon, the tennis court construction could be completed by fall, said Chris Buchannan, chairman of the board of trustees.

Once the tennis courts take shape, other areas will be considered, such as the removal of the current courts and the revamping of the parking lot. The school's Facilities Manager Dave Benner said he would be meeting with Boothbay Harbor's Code Enforcement Officer Geoff Smith and Public Works Director Jody Lewis to discuss the removal of the courts.

Superintendent of Schools Eileen King said all financial options would be explored for the new tennis courts, including a grant from the USTA that could cover 20 percent of the total cost. “Once we figure out the financing, then we'll probably go out and get a loan, and then I will write grant at the same time,” King said.

The construction of the new tennis courts signifies the start of a long-term vision for Boothbay Region schools' campus that encompasses both the existing facilities and future goals such as a full-size running track and soccer field.

But first, permits must be approved and funding must be addressed as the project comes to fruition, King said.