By: Giovanni Rosano

Correspondent

NECC’s handball court was recently demolished, along with its ten-foot-tall wall. It could previously be seen on the side of Kenoza Street on the edge of the school’s campus. If you go by there now, all you’ll see are four piles of what used to be the wall.

Local NECC student James Costello is a lacrosse fanatic and Motion Science major who used to play on the court with a bunch of his friends.

“I used to play little 3-on-3 pickup lacrosse games all throughout the summer there on that wall, but I guess I’m going to have to find another wall.”

The new Project Facility Manager, Clayton Ross, made it a priority to demolish the handball wall and court for safety reasons. Ross had begun his new position as Project Facility Manager two weeks ago when the old Project Facility Manager David Gingerella had retired.

“The plan came from David about 16 months ago. Over time the surface of the handball court becomes damaged beyond repair,” he said.  He explained that the wall was not much at all used by NECC students. Members of the Haverhill community did use it, but non-students playing on an unsafe surface on school property is considered a liability, he said.

Ross was given orders by Gingerella to take down the handball court and wall.

“The foundation of the court was too dangerous. There were too many holes in it, so it wasn’t safe, and a big liability for the school,” Gingerella said.

He explained that the handball court was an old remnant of the old campus, which used to be accompanied by a tennis court and basketball court with two hoops. The tennis court had been removed about five years ago and so the basketball court and handball court remained untouched until recently. Ross says that the basketball court is going to come down soon as well.