Residents call for affordable year‑round tennis courts and urge better planning for Highway 22 project

Several residents used the public‑comment period at the joint meeting to press the boards on recreational access and transportation planning.

Bennet McGee, president of the Tucson Community Counting Association, asked that the two governments add the group’s proposed project — renovating two existing fairgrounds tennis courts into an affordable, indoor year‑round community facility focused on children and teens — to upcoming joint agendas and explore public‑private partnership opportunities.

Local tennis player and Teton County School District educator Sherry Bidd said years of privatization have left many players without affordable options, noting initiation fees and rising monthly costs at the private facility she described. “This is not sustainable for much of our community,” she said, and urged officials to consider year‑round affordable and accessible courts.

An unidentified resident raised detailed questions about the Army 22 (YV22) Corridor project — including underpass locations, ramp design, right‑of‑way acquisition, cost sharing, impacts of turn lanes on speeds, and the need for a detailed workshop with the district engineer and a firm experienced in highway projects. The speaker said current web drawings and “typical section” illustrations understate real impacts and urged proactive local planning before accepting state project elements.

Chair Newcomb and other elected officials thanked speakers for raising issues and reminded the public of decorum. The chair indicated both the tennis facility request and the Highway 22 concerns would be considered for future docket items.