HYDE PARK — MetroSquash broke ground Wednesday on a new eight-court squash facility in Woodlawn.
“This is really going to transform the program from the students’ perspective,” said David Kay, executive director of the program that teaches South Side kids from fifth grade through high school to play squash.
The $5 million facility, when it opens its doors in April at 61st Street and Cottage Grove Avenue, will allow MetroSquash to double the number of kids in its afterschool lessons and summer programs to 300 from 150.
The program currently uses three nonregulation size squash courts and a racquetball court at the Henry Crown Field House on the University of Chicago campus three days a week and hosts its classroom training across the street at University Church, 5655 S. University Ave.
“We’re completely maxed out,” Kay said.
The new 19,500-square-foot facility will have four classrooms, seven squash courts and one doubles court.
Kay said the regulation-size courts will allow the facility to host the squash world championships for doubles May 6-10.
For more neighborhood news, listen to DNAinfo Radio here:
