11 May 2016 | Tennis ACT

Minister for Sport and Recreation, Yvette Berry MLA, today announced that five more ACT tennis clubs would receive funding as part of the Opening up Tennis initiative in the ACT.

The funding which was secured by Tennis ACT through the 2016 Sport and Recreation Grants Program will see $25,539 invested at Belconnen, Weston Creek, Ainslie, The Pines (Chisholm), and Melba Tennis Clubs to implement the new Tennis Book a Court system featuring electronic gate access and online booking capabilities.

The new technology will allow greater access to community tennis facilities as patrons can book and pay for their court online, and then receive a personalised code to provide access to the gate.  The system allows community facilities to meet modern consumer expectations while also decreasing administration work on club volunteers.

Tennis ACT in conjunction with the ACT Government have played a major part in the development of the Book a Court initiative which has now evolved into a Tennis Australia national pilot program.  In 2012, the ACT Government funded a pilot project at North Woden Tennis Club as part of a larger facility redevelopment.

The project has also engaged the services of local Canberra business Complete Security Solutions who secured the tender for the national pilot which now involves over 50 clubs across Australia.  Barton, Red Hill, Queanbeyan, and North Woden are all currently part of the pilot program.

Tennis ACT Chief Executive Officer Ross Triffitt said “We have seen the project come a long way since we first commenced the pilot at North Woden in 2012.  I would like to thank the ACT Government along with North Woden Tennis Club, Rising Star Tennis Academy, Complete Security Solutions and Tennis Australia for their hard work in developing this project which will open up access to tennis facilities across Canberra.

We are thrilled to now have nine affiliated clubs participating in the national pilot program and to have a local business providing the hardware is a further benefit to the Canberra community”.