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Mellon Park Tennis Center
Location:
Mellon Park, Fifth Ave. and Beechwood Blvd. Where Shadyside, Point Breeze
and East Liberty intersect.
Hours:
7 am to 11 pm, seven days a week.
Walk-up Court Fees: Weekdays: $20/ hour
from 7 to 9 am, $22/hour from 9 am to 4 pm, $30/hour from 4 to 9 pm, $20/hr
9-11 pm. Weekends: $30/ hr 7am-6pm, $20/hr 6-9pm
No cost to use the courts when the
dome is removed from mid-April to October.
Phone Numbers: To
reserve court time call (412) 665-4017. Payment is by cash or check. Credit
cards are not accepted. Permanent full season court time can be arranged by calling (412) 255-2228 between 8:30 a.m. and 4:45
p.m. weekdays.
The Mellon Park Tennis Center is run by
the City of Pittsburgh's Department of Parks and Recreation.
Pittsburgh Parks and Recreation
City-County Building, Room 400
414 Grant Street
Pittsburgh, PA 15219
(412) 255-2539
Duane Ashley, Director
Facility
Factoids:
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Cost: about $430,000
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The dome measures 118 feet by 265 feet.
It's 36 feet high.
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Temperature inside is maintained at
65 degrees.
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There are 5 courts.
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Lighting inside the bubble is excellent.
(When the dome is taken down during the summer there is no court
lighting after dark. The former light stands have been removed.)
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The hitting background is excellent.
No problem seeing the ball.
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Playing Surface: Premier
Court, a cushioned hard court. The surface is somewhat rough,
so it plays reasonably slow and grabs the ball. Players who use topspin
will see their balls bouncing even higher than on smooth, fast courts
like those at Schenley Park.
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There is only one entrance into
the bubble adjacent to court 1. To avoid being interrupted by players coming onto courts, book
the highest numbered court available.
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Several water coolers and cups are
provided in the bubble. Vending machines are available just outside the
entrance to the bubble.
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Locker room: There is no locker room.
There are a few small free-standing lockers and coat racks inside the bubble. It's best
to come dressed to play tennis.
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Showers: A shower/bathroom is
available for each sex in the office trailer. To reach it, you must go
outside and walk (or sprint when its freezing) about 100 feet from the bubble's far exit.
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Parking:
Entrance located at the traffic light where Beechwood Blvd. intersects
Fifth Ave.
Plenty of space in winter, but parking will be a problem once the warm
winter arrives and people begin using the other park facilities (ball
fields, playground, basketball courts, picnic area). Unfortunately there
is no convenient street parking near the bubble, particularly on
weekdays. If the lot is full, park on Beechwood Blvd. directly across
from the Mellon parking lot entrance. In the evening or on weekends
people have been known to park in the Ellis School lot adjacent to the
tennis courts on Fifth Ave.
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Security: The facility has a system
of security cameras both inside and out. Unfortunately, the cameras have
a poor view of the parking lot, the area where player security is of
greatest concern. Mellon Park is located at the junction of very wealthy and very
depressed neighborhoods. The ambiance in this area
ranges from tranquil to violent. Be smart and you'll be safe.
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During the summer, there will be a concession
stand at the facility.
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Info about tennis clinics at Mellon
is listed here.
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