Clarification with McFee court hours

Farragut Board of Mayor and Aldermen restricted which schools may use McFee Park’s tennis/pickleball courts to allow more play for Town residents and extended the latest renting time to 9:30 p.m.

After hearing recommendations from Lauren Cox, Town Parks manager, the board unanimously approved changes to McFee Park Court Rental Regulations, which include prohibiting any schools other than Farragut’s to use the courts, during its meeting Thursday, Sept. 22.

Cox explained McFee Park tennis and pickleball courts currently have been available to reserve during the field/court allocation process by any organized group or field.

“Field court allocation happens in January for the spring/summer season and June for the fall/winter season,” she said. “At the Aug. 11 Board of Mayor and Aldermen meeting, a recommendation was presented from Park & Athletic Council that would prohibit anyone other than schools located in the Town of Farragut from renting the courts through this allocation process or the pre-pay process and that they schools could rent no later than 6:30 p.m. each day to allow for community use in the evenings.”

However, during the citizen forum section of the Aug. 11 meeting, citizens requested the 6:30 p.m. deadline be reconsidered because “home tennis matches cannot be finished by 6:30 p.m. … due to the limit of four courts of play. They asked the deadline be extended to 9:30 p.m. for school matches.