Construction began this week to completely replace Memorial Park's popular lighted tennis courts with a new type of surface that will better resist those cracks which have plagued North Branford tennis enthusiasts for years.

The work underway will remove the old asphalt surface which covered the five tennis courts for about two decades, replacing it with "post-tension construction slab," said Town Engineer Kurt Weiss.

"It's a newer type of process for tennis courts that has a much longer life," said Weiss. "The project includes complete reconstruction of the five tennis courts, two basketball courts, new fencing and new (court) coloring."

The new court colors will be blue and green. Lighting is already in place at Memorial Park and will not be upgraded as part of this project. The majority of the $370,000 job will be covered by a Small Town Economic Assistance Program grant.

Weiss said the town is hoping for a mid-July 2016 re-opening of the courts.  The courts are located next to North Branford Intermediate School on Foxon Road.