TOWN OF CORNWALL – Senator James Skoufis (D-Hudson Valley) joined Town of Cornwall officials on Friday, September 10, to unveil Cornwall’s newly-refinished town tennis courts and to kick off the Cornwall Recreation Department’s Youth Tennis Program. The renovation was made possible by a $100,000 grant secured by Senator Skoufis in 2020.
The courts’ completion was a labor of love for Tom Gschwind, Town of Cornwall Highway and Sanitation Department Superintendent, and his team. Initial bids from outside contractors came in much higher than expected, so Gschwind and his department began the painstaking process of demolition, packing and calcifying the soil, and refinishing and painting the courts’ surface, as well as refinishing and reinstalling fencing. The finished result is a functional, and safe playing space for new and longtime tennis fans alike. The town plans to make upgrades to other recreational facilities on the Town Hall property.
“As a former high school tennis teammate, I know how much this game means to so many young students and families,” said Senator Skoufis. “It was my privilege to present the town with this grant last year and I’m thrilled to see the end result, the product of lots of hard work on the part of the Supervisor and his team.”
Onlookers at the unveiling were treated to a few informal volleys between Skoufis, Supervisor Richard Randazzo, and Councilman Joshua Wojehowski on one side of the net, with Cornwall Recreation Department Coach Rokhsha Michael-Razi and United States Tennis Association Eastern Executive Director Jenny Schnitzer on the other. Guests were then invited to join in for instruction and free-play as an introduction to the Youth Tennis Program, scheduled to begin the next day. Special thanks to Councilwoman Virginia Scott and Cornwall Recreation Department staff Laura Kirby and Phyllis Murphy for participating in the unveiling.
