Employees for Hemphill Construction Co. of Florence are in the process of building the first pair of four additional tennis courts at Halls Ferry Park, increasing the total number of courts from 10 to 14.

The $568,039 project is funded by a $100,000 Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries & Parks Land and Water Conservation grant and $468,039 in city funds, which includes money from the city’s general fund and the its $9.2 million capital improvements bond issue.

“We finally got the project moving, and it’s always good to see things going in a positive direction,” said South Ward Alderman Willis Thompson, who oversees recreation for the Board of Mayor and Aldermen. Weather permitting, he said, the courts should be completed by the end of the summer.

“I think they (Hemphill) have 120 days to complete the project, so we should make that deadline. I’m quite confident unless something catastrophic happens or we have something going on with the weather we don’t expect, they should complete it,” he said.

Thompson said the new courts will be a good addition to the park and the city’s tennis program, adding he hopes the new courts allow the city to seek state and Southwest Athletic Conference to hold tournaments here.

“We’ve already been talking with the Mississippi Tennis Association, trying to compete for the (state) tournament in 2017, and they’re very interested,” Thompson said. “We’re going to continue talking with the SWAC about some tournament they may be having and if they’re interested in Vicksburg, also.

“I think this brings some positive things to Vicksburg, and I think the public is kind of excited about what’s going to be expanded out there.”