Work is under way to refurbish the tennis courts at Manor Park in Mansfield.
The Mansfield District Council-owned courts are benefitting from another round of funding from the Lawn Tennis Association which has already carried revamps of courts at Racecourse Park and Carr Bank Park in the town.
The £78,405.28 refurbishment at Manor Park began on 12 May and will see resurfacing, along with new painting, lining and new nets. They are expected to be ready for game, set and match on 21 July.
The park’s pavilion has also been refurbished by the council with a view to letting it as a café or bistro. There have been a number of expressions of interest in renting the space and a meeting is being held this week to assess them.
Adrian Selby, Assistant Director of Neighbourhood Services, said: “This funding from the LTA will result in a significant improvement in the facilities at Manor Park and we are sure they will provide top class facilities for years to come. We also hope to see better use of the pavilion there in the near future as a new food outlet.
“This tennis courts revamp aligns very strongly with the council’s priority to create opportunities for people to lead healthy lifestyles and be physically active.”
Since the other courts in the district were revamped under the same LTA scheme nearly a year ago, more than 2,200 hours of playing time has been booked.
Access to the courts will be managed under the LTA online booking system (link opens in new window) and via smart access gates.
Charges at Racecourse Park are £5 per hour and there is an Annual Pass available for a household of 6 people for just £45. This gives free court booking at any of the sites in Mansfield (including Manor Park when completed) for a year. More details can be found on the LTA website (link opens in new window)
The courts will be run and managed in the future by We Do Tennis, a not for profit Community Interest Company that aims to improve, grow, and secure the future of tennis at all levels and ensure that public facilities are kept in tip top condition.
Andy Moss, Head of Parks at We Do Tennis said: “The additional funding to refurbish Manor Park tennis courts is a great next step in increasing opportunities to play tennis in Mansfield and we are looking forward to working with the local community to get them on court with rackets in hands!”
We Do Tennis also runs free tennis sessions, with equipment provided. The last one was on 25 May at Racecourse Park as part of the LTA’s Big Tennis Weekend. It is currently seeking volunteers to run Free Park Tennis sessions in Mansfield. Find out more by applying online (link opens in new window).
The court refurbishments are being funded by the government and the LTA Tennis Foundation as part of the national Parks Tennis Project, in which over 3,000 park courts across England, Scotland, Wales are receiving upgrades.
Scott Lloyd, LTA Chief Executive, said: “We are delighted to be working with Mansfield District Council to improve their park tennis facilities and provide more opportunities for people to pick up a racket and get active.
“This investment from the UK Government and LTA Tennis Foundation will mean that courts will be available for people to use for years to come.
“We will also be working closely with the council to ensure that the local community has a range of accessible opportunities to get on court, ensuring that we open up our sport to many more people.”