What's important to highlight in your feedback is that the upgrade must ensure that tennis can be played on all six courts, even if the courts are to be shared with other sports, and that a number of courts should be dedicated tennis only courts. This is a tennis centre and has been for decades. It was a successful one, even when somewhat run-down, but it was abandoned by Bayside Council some time ago and allowed to become completely derelict. It has been vandalised and abandoned to the point of being unplayable and unusable. If Bayside Council had looked after and maintained the courts properly, especially with the monies that Kevin Coleman was able to give back to Bayside Council after managing the courts for 2+ years on a volunteer basis, we would not be in this dire position now. In addition, the courts could have been used throughout the COVID-19 lockdowns, as tennis was one of the few sports that could be played.

You can read some background here and here.

Another significant point is that a flexi-cushion surface should not be installed, or at least not on all courts. The reason for this is that the flexi-cushion surface is unsuitable for those who have had knee and/or hip replacements and for our more senior players.

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One of the sports suggested by Bayside Council to be played on the courts is netball - there are 15 asphalt and 17 grass courts that have been newly refurbished on West Botany Street, Rockdale, only minutes from Hawthorne Street. The St George District Netball Association, which leases the courts from Council, secured $1 million for the upgrade. The 15 netball hard courts were resurfaced, and new netball rings and fencing installed. The works were completed only last year. Do they really need more netball courts at Hawthorne Street?

If any additional salient points come to light please feel free to share them via our Facebook page in order to strengthen the case for the prioritisation of tennis or at the very least, for there to be no reduction in the number of courts tat tennis can be played on.

 

Hopefully, we can do enough to ensure the future of tennis in the area by ensuring the court upgrade meets the needs of the tennis community, but your feedback is key to achieving this.

Please feel free to share the survey as widely as possible and especially to tennis contacts and tennis pages/groups. Our understanding, and our concern, is that a significant number of people support the multi-sport use of the courts without understanding or caring about the ramifications for tennis, especially the long-term negative impacts, so please take the few minutes required to complete the survey.

 

Feedback must be submitted by Monday 15 August.

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With sincere thanks,
Illawarra Suburbs Lawn Tennis Association - Junior Branch Committee