At its meeting Monday night, the Fort Dodge Community School District board approved plans for the courts to be resurfaced.

“Tennis courts are down to a state where they are slippery when being played on,” Travis Filloon, FDCSD director of buildings and grounds, said. “It’s harder to keep your footing and it’s unsafe. The resurfacing is necessary to accomplish that.”

The project includes removing existing acrylic surfacing, bituminous patching, and tennis court color system. The cost estimate for the project is $71,253.

On Monday afternoon, Daniel Leigh, 17, a junior at Fort Dodge Senior High, played against his friend, Luke Vaughan, 15, a freshman at FDSH, on the courts.

Leigh said the tennis balls turn darker quicker on the Dodger Courts than other courts he’s played on.

“It could be evened out,” Leigh said. “It would be easier to play on, but these are still good courts. I enjoy playing on them.”

Matt Wagner, FDCSD board vice president, said he struggled to beat the school board president on the courts due to the condition of the court.

“I can attest that you can’t play tennis on a slippery surface,” Wagner said. “I would have probably beat him with different shoes.”

Stu Cochrane, FDCSD board president, said the hope is to get between 10 and 12 years out of a new surface.

Filloon said the courts were last resurfaced about nine years ago.

According to Filloon, the upcoming project is not as invasive as the last time the Dodger Courts were addressed.

“We completely redid them last time, whereas this time it’s just coating the surface, applying the surfacing sealer and acrylic,” he said.

The project is anticipated to begin June 12 and be substantially completed by July 19.

The final completion date is set for July 26.