Friday, April 7
Members are writing to us, asking about the process of re-building the courts, what exactly is meant by "fussing with the clay?" We'll try to describe what's involved in opening the courts. Let's start by describing the courts.
Our clay courts are made of Har-Tru fast drying clay, the key words here being `fast drying.' The courts have what is known as real Har-Tru construction, that is, about 3 inches of gravel, then an inch of stone dust, then an inch and a quarter of Har-Tru (clay). (That's why we don't just build up that wet corner of court 5 with a couple inches of clay: the corner would not be so low, but the construction design would be violated and we fear that the clay would not behave properly: the corner still wouldn't drain, and the surface might become sandy. The courts are graded for drainage and court 5 is meant to be the low point in the design. Someplace has to be the low point.)
The back courts are generally graded down from the back to the front and from the middle to the sides. After a heavy rain you'll always see water puddled up at the sides of court 3 and court 5. Court 4 always dries first. That's how the grading is supposed to work.
Along the sides of courts 3 and 5 are gravel walk-ways that act as catch basins for water. Under the gravel there are perforated pipes that direct water to the sewers. The four sewers are linked to the main drain over by the garden. There is a pump in that sewer that pumps the water out into the city system. (Sometimes you see the grate off that sewer: someone is keeping an eye on the pump.)
Billy keeping an eye on the pump.
That's enough for today, right? More later.
New clay is being moved onto the courts.
Finely spreading the clay.
Court conditions: Getting better all the time.
Joe DeBassio, Webmaster.
