Residents ‘set to love’ tennis court improvements
Dudley Council has reopened tennis courts at six borough parks following a £280,000 programme of improvements.
Courts at Huntingtree Park in Halesowen, King George V Park in Wordsley, Mary Stevens Park and Wollescote Park in Stourbridge, Priory Park in Dudley, and Silver Jubilee Park in Coseley have all reopened to players this week.
The LTA managed project, which has been funded by the UK Government and LTA Tennis Foundation, means that the people of Dudley can several enjoy newly resurfaced or re-binded courts, along with improved security and an online booking system.
The facilities are available to book in advance at £5 per session via the LTA website, with digital gate access technology only allowing access to pre-booked players.
Councillor Damian Corfield, cabinet member responsible for parks, said:
“Many of our residents young and old are still inspired by one of Dudley’s most famous sporting legacies Dorothy Round, who won Wimbledon many years ago, and this year we saw Wolverhampton’s Henry Searle take the junior title.
“As Child Friendly borough, and an area blessed with beautiful parks and green spaces, we are committed to helping people young and old enjoy being active and playing sport in the great outdoors.
“We are delighted to have had the opportunity to improve and secure the tennis courts in our parks, to give youngsters of all backgrounds the chance to progress in the sport.
“Having these better courts will make the sport more accessible and, as I have learnt myself over the last few weeks, it’s never too late to pick up a racket and have a play.”
Through the Parks Tennis Project, the LTA is delivering the biggest ever investment in parks tennis facilities across Britain, with millions going towards transforming thousands of public courts, providing a significant boost to sporting facilities.
The LTA and Dudley Council are working together to deliver free park tennis sessions, with equipment provided, providing regular opportunities for anyone to pick up a racket and play. There will also be Local Tennis Leagues, giving people the opportunity to get involved in friendly and social local competitions.
Julie Porter, Chief Operating Officer at the LTA, said:
“After months of hard work, we’re delighted to see park tennis courts across Dudley borough officially back open to the public, and in better shape than ever.
“Public tennis courts are such vital facilities for getting active and we want as many people as possible, of all ages and abilities, to pick up a racket and enjoy playing tennis. Thanks to this investment the sport will be opened up to more players, for years to come.”
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Dudley Council
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ABOUT THE LTA:
The LTA is the National Governing Body of tennis for Great Britain. We are here to govern and grow tennis, from grassroots participation through to the professional game. Our vision is “Tennis Opened Up” and we’re on a mission to grow tennis by making it relevant, accessible, welcoming and enjoyable. We work with schools, with volunteers, with coaches and with venues across the whole country. We also represent the interests of over 1,000,000 Members, men and women, girls and boys, playing on more than 23,000 courts. For further information about the LTA and tennis in Britain, visit www.lta.org.uk or follow us on Twitter @LTAParks.
Stuart Andrew MP, Sports Minister, added:
"We are committed to levelling up access to sport which is so important for the nation’s physical and mental health.
"The Government and the LTA are working together to deliver thousands of refurbished courts across Great Britain, supported by £30 million of investment including in Dudley.
"These improved tennis facilities will provide the local community with fun opportunities to get active and potentially become the next Andy Murray or Emma Raducanu."