Elmhurst tennis courts remain closed for now

Elmhurst Park District won't reopen its tennis courts until the state's Northeast region, which includes Elmhurst, enters Phase 3 of the Restore Illinois plan, currently projected for the end of May, officials said Wednesday.

At that time, outdoor recreation, including activities in groups of 10 or fewer with social distancing, will be permitted.

The district features more than 25 outdoor tennis courts along with the indoor Courts Plus facility - all of which have been locked since late March.

Officials say they've received "a handful" of requests to open the courts in the past few weeks, but decided to wait after consulting with their legal counsel and the Park District Risk Management Agency, an intergovernmental risk pool that provides insurance coverage.

"Ultimately, we were advised that, unlike golf, the stay-at-home order doesn't specifically call for tennis courts to be open," Executive Director Jim Rogers said in a written statement, "We're excited to reopen the courts and understand the desire to get back out there and play, but we plan to operate in accordance with the recommendations of state officials and the CDC and wait until the stay-at-home order is lifted."

For details, visit epd.org.