‘It’s a wonderful facility.’ Beaufort tennis courts reopen after 6 months and a $630,000 upgrade

The Beaufort Tennis Center in downtown Beaufort — the largest public tennis center in northern Beaufort County — reopened Tuesday to fanfare with a new look and mission to promote the sport and the refurbished local courts.

“Just maybe,” said Beaufort County Councilman York Glover, noting he first struck a tennis ball at the courts in the 1960s, “a tennis star will start their journey right here.”

The center had been closed six months for a $630,000 overhaul, forcing tennis players to find court time elsewhere.

“It’s been a long time coming,” said Shannon Loper, director of Beaufort County Parks and Recreation, which runs the facility.

Bordering Boundary Street and residential homes, the tennis center, 110 Bladen St., has seven courts, making it the largest public facility north of the Broad River.

But several years ago, the center fell off the radar because of poor conditions, said Marshall Williams.

Williams is on the steering committee of the Beaufort Tennis Club, a new group that started because of the tennis court renovation. Group members, Williams said, plan to organize more tournaments, special events, leagues and social play at the new courts.

“It’s a wonderful facility,” Williams said.

A crowd turned out for the reopening.

Anita Singleton-Prather, who performs as Aunt Pearlie Sue and The Gullah Kinfolk and grew up in the neighborhood, prayed that the courts would be a place of safety where kids can hear positive words. Then, Singleton-Prather, tapping a wooden walking stick on the sidewalk between the courts, sang a song with the words, “Holy Spirit, Kumbaya.”

After the brief ceremony, the courts quickly filled up.

Larry Scheper, a tennis coach who runs his own tennis academy and also coaches at Beaufort Academy, hit balls with students. “We will continue to do what we’ve been doing,” said Scheper, who offers clinics to area kids and adults alike.

The tennis courts, Scheper noted, give young people a place to get involved in tennis, an individual sport, as opposed to team sports like basketball and football.

Scheper also expects the new courts to attract players from across the county for tournaments and training.

Beaufort County, which operates the tennis center, has hired Scheper part-time to oversee additional programs and monitor the courts, Loper said.

The tennis courts, Loper said, have been around at least since the 1960s.

The $630,800 renovation started in April with demolition of the existing courts and installing all-new courts, nets/hardware, fences/gates, and ADA-compliant sidewalks.

New lights also will be installed but that work hasn’t happened yet.

Rain gardens and runoff controls will be added to address recent stormwater issues that have plagued the courts.

The project was delayed by about a month due to weather, supply issues and the contractor having materials stolen from the site, the county said.

It may be seen as a white sport, said Glover, the county councilman, but tennis has a long, rich history in the Black community that includes professional greats such as Serena and Venus Williams, Arthur Ashe and Althea Gibson, the first African American to win a grand slam tournament. Gibson would go on to win 11 grand slam singles and doubles titles in the 1950s.

“Americans, both Black and white, have been enjoying tennis for a long time,” Glover said.