New indoor tennis, pickleball facility receives state permits

BARTLETT — After a seven-year absence, indoor tennis will return with the scheduled opening this fall of Glen Tennis & Pickleball at the soon-to-be renovated Glen Warehouse.

Glen Tennis is operated by the North Conway Tennis Association, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization.

The association hoped to open the facility last year but got bogged down with permitting, according to NCTA President Mark Guerringue.

He said that because Bartlett lacks a town inspector, occupancy and other permitting are handled entirely through the state.

“It literally took us nearly a year to get through this,” he said, adding that Bergeron Technical Services of Conway helped accomplish the process.

When fully renovated, the warehouse, located about a mile west on Route 302 from Grants Shop 'n' Save in Glen, will have two indoor tennis courts that will also be lined for pickleball. The renovations, costing $750,000, will include roof repairs, new insulation, lighting, heating and the installation of two courts.

The Glen Warehouse was built in the early 1970s as a four-court tennis facility but was damaged by fire. Since then, Joe Berry and now the Berry Companies own and operate it. Glen Tennis & Pickleball has an option to buy the building, which is its plan.

Guerringue said the goal is to be up and running for next winter and then buy the building in two years. The front of the building is currently occupied by a laundry operated by the Tarberry Company. When that laundry moves out, the next phase of renovations will begin, which includes new locker rooms.

Guerringue said the group has raised enough money for the first phase of renovations, but more money is needed for the next phase.

“We will be in fundraising mode for the next few years and have been encouraged by the response from the community so far,” said Guerringue. “Fundraising is always a challenge, but we are bringing a needed amenity to the valley and are confident we will accomplish our goals.”

The courts will be standard asphalt but covered with a special surface that will be easier to play on. "Playing on hard courts is tough on body parts, especially knees and feet," said Guerringue. Because of that, most new hard courts are coated with layers of cushioned paint.

"The courts will play like regular hard courts, but the cushioning paint makes a huge difference and helps prevent injuries," he said.

Central to Glen Tennis & Pickleball’s mission is serving Advantage Kids Tennis and Education, a free tennis instruction program. Currently it serves about 100 kids from Ossipee to Fryeburg, Maine, in the summer on outdoor courts and in the winter in the gyms at local elementary schools. Guerringue said the facility will not only give Advantage Kids a place to play in the winter but the courts will also be available to the Kennett High School and Fryeburg Academy tennis teams.

For more information, go to northconwaytennis.org.

Contact Maureen Enos at maureenenos17@gmail.com for donation information and John Tanzman at jtanzman64@gmail.com for info about tennis and pickleball memberships and court fees.