The issue of what to do with the Bug House Park tennis courts in Washington has been like a volley in a tennis match — back and forth, back and forth.

The City Council continues to look for a solution for those tennis courts, which have been in a state of disrepair for years. Flood events over the years have damaged the courts, according to city officials.

During the council’s May 11 meeting, three options related to tennis courts were presented to the council. One option is to resurface the tennis courts at Bug House Park at an estimated cost of $11,000. A contractor who inspected those courts said that option would not keep them safe and playable. The second option is to relocate the courts to another location at an estimated cost of $90,000. The McConnell Sports Complex was suggested as the site for the new courts. The third option is to partner with Washington High School and create a joint-use agreement concerning use of the school’s six courts, with the city paying half of the estimated $30,000 project cost.

Those options were discussed by the city’s Recreation Advisory Committee on April 20, but it was uncomfortable making a recommendation at that time, according to a memorandum from Kristi Roberson, the city’s parks and recreation manager, to the mayor and City Council.

“Mr. Mayor, at last month’s meeting we asked the … committee to give us a recommendation. Councilman (Richard) Brooks went to that meeting and asked the committee to consider options, and there was a lengthy discussion at the meeting. At the conclusion of the discussion, the rec advisory committee said they needed a little more time to discuss and evaluate options. I think at this time we need to continue this item until the red advisory committee comes back with a recommendation,” Councilman Doug Mercer said at the May 11 meeting.

The committee’s recommendation is expected to be presented and discussed at the council’s June 8 meeting.

Council members have said Washington has tennis history worth preserving. Mercer said he recalls playing tennis on the Bug House Park courts in the early 1950s when he lived in that area. Last month, Councilman Bobby Roberson said “it’s a shame that the courts deteriorated to that point.” Roberson said he’s open to suggestions regarding the tennis courts.

“To me, I would hate to see us just bulldoze the tennis courts without having nothing else inside the city. So, if we take these tennis courts out, where will we play tennis?” Roberson said then. “That’s the question I have. Are we going to do away with tennis?”