Tennis lovers are being invited to join the official re-opening of tennis courts at Manor Park in Mansfield Woodhouse after their £78,400 Lawn Tennis Association (LTA) revamp.
The reopening event on Thursday 30 October includes a free family fun session from 10am to 12 noon.
The Mansfield District Council-owned courts have benefitted from another round of funding from the LTA which has already carried revamps of courts at Racecourse Park (pictured) and Carr Bank Park in the town.
We Do Tennis, which will be managing and maintaining the courts on behalf of the council and LTA, will provide the tennis equipment and set families up to play with some activities.
There will also be an opportunity for enthusiasts to sign up online to access the courts between 2pm and 3pm and to chat to We Do Tennis and answer any questions about the courts.
The refurbishment of the Manor Park courts began in May and included resurfacing, new painting, lining and new nets.
The park’s pavilion is also being refurbished by the council with a view to letting it as a café.
Cllr Andy Burgin, Portfolio Holder for Environment and Leisure, said: “The courts at Manor Park are now in a top-notch condition, thanks to the LTA funding, and we hope local people will make good use of these fantastic facilities on their doorstep.
“Tennis and sport in general is a great way to improve your health and fitness and tennis is not just a summer sport – these courts can be used all year round. Who knows, maybe they could be the breeding ground for our next Wimbledon champion in the years to come.”
The court refurbishments have been 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.
The courts are being run and managed by We Do Tennis, a not-for-profit community interest company that aims to promote tennis and keep courts in top class condition.
Andy Moss, Head of Parks at We Do Tennis, said he hopes the fun session will appeal to families during the school half term holiday: “These friendly sessions are open to anyone in the area with an interest in playing tennis, whatever your age or ability, or if you would simply like to find out more about ‘We Do Tennis’ and what we have to offer. You don’t even need a racket or balls to join the fun!
“We Do Tennis’ is a not-for-profit organisation focused on improving, growing, and securing the future of tennis at all levels.
“We are extremely excited to be working with the council and the residents of the local area to provide a first-class tennis offering. Improving the facilities is a great first step and our role is to activate tennis in the area and get lots of happy people with a racket in their hand.”
Access to the courts will be managed under the LTA online booking system (link opens in new window) and via smart access gates. Charges are £5 per hour and there is an Annual Pass available for a household of six people for just £45. This gives free court booking at any of the sites in Mansfield) for a year. More details can be found online (link opens in new window).