No new racquet building needed, OPA member says

By ROTA L. KNOTT

Contributing Writer

The Racquet Center building at the Ocean Pines Association’s Manklin Meadows complex doesn’t need to be replaced, one property owner told the Board of Directors during the Public Comments segment of the Board’s June 17 monthly meeting.

Dave Tanner said the existing building is sound and in good shape. He said the OPA does not need to spend millions of dollars to replace it, especially with a two-story version that would be costly and function poorly.

Instead, he said minor changes can be made to the existing building to improve its functionality, including increased storage space.

Tanner said the existing building is already “looking a lot better” since some repairs have been made and the building was painted.

He said there is good leadership at the center now that is addressing issues at the facility that have been neglected for a long time.

He reminded the Board that Worcester County has said the OPA can’t expand the footprint of any facility or amenity in Manklin Meadows.

He said they may be able to “get a few more feet,” but not enough to create a major events facility at that location.

As for creating a two-story building, Tanner said that will not work either.

By the time the OPA adds stairs and an elevator to meet Americans with Disabilities Act requirements, it’s not going to gain any usable space and may actually lose square footage, he said.

He also wondered what would be the purpose of a second floor. The only reason he has heard so far is that people could watch play from the second floor.

“It’s an outdoor sport and it’s a participation sport,” he said, adding that racquet sports are not something people come to watch from a second story building. They want to be by the courts, not up-