JACKSON, Miss. (WLBT) – No lighting at the Battlefield Park Tennis courts is preventing play for those eager to support the inner city program.

The dark courts are turning away hundreds who were committed to supporting inner-city play.

“I come here Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Saturday,” said Kenneth Devine.

But at nightfall, Devine and his nine-year-old daughter have to stop playing on the Battlefield Park tennis courts.

“I would like and I know it’s a wish of the people, especially the people of the community that they could play at night, but the lights I don’t know what the mechanical malfunction is with them, but they don’t come on,” said Devine.

Battlefield Head Tennis pro and coach Venecca Green said three years ago someone tampered with the lighting panel. That prevents hundreds of players who work during the day and children in the junior league from hitting the courts.

They are also concerned about the hanging wires above the courts.

“We had just gone through a grow the game initiative that was sponsored by the United States Tennis Association and we had literally put a tennis racket in about 400 peoples’ hands and that impacted the program in that we could not continue,” said Green.

“We’re just here for the community,” said Battlefield Facility manager Laperiall Jones. “To get these kids playing because the parents want the kids doing something other than just sitting at the house playing video games or talking on the phones.”

Park officials said funding reportedly given to Jackson Parks and Recs for improvements has not been distributed to Battlefield. The City of Jackson has not responded to a request for comment.

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