Members of the Applecross Tennis Club gathered at the clubhouse on Tuesday evening for the announcement of a $500,000 Federal Government grant that will enable the club to convert four of their existing grass courts into hard courts. Federal Liberal Member for Tangney, Mr Ben Morton MP, made the announcement to an excited crowd of club members, life members, sponsors and members of the local community.
The grant forms part of the federal Sport Aus Community Infrastructure Grant scheme which supports small to medium scale projects of up to $500,000, which allow for greater community participation in sport and physical activity, and offer safer, more inclusive community sporting hubs.
WA tennis has been a big winner in the Sport Aus Funding, with the Community Infrastructure Funding investing over $1.8 million across 20 tennis facilities in Western Australia.
Applecross Tennis Club was awarded one of the largest grants through the scheme, which will enable the club to upgrade fencing, and convert four of their existing grass courts into hard courts, thereby allowing greater community access, increasing sustainability, and providing more coaching opportunities for juniors.
Applecross Tennis Club Membership Secretary, Paul Logothetis believes this grant will increase participation in tennis within the local community.
“This project will bring long term sustainability to the club. We are a community facility, and the conversion of four of our courts to hardcourts will allow additional tennis facilities to be made available for the general public who have a preference to play on hardcourts”
Federal Liberal Member for Tangney, Mr Ben Morton, was pleased to be able to support the club and its volunteers through the Sport Aus Grant.
“I’m so pleased that The Morrison Government is supporting the hard-working volunteers and members at the Applecross Tennis Club to upgrade their courts”.
“Volunteer mums and dads give so much of their time managing the teams, doing the rosters and keeping our local sporting clubs running but they need some help with the big infrastructure costs like courts, fences and lighting”.
“The new courts will encourage new junior members to join the club and improve the skills of competitive and social players of all ages”.
“Thanks to the club committee, in particular Paul Logothetis, and Club Secretary Horatio Alvarez, for their hard work and advocacy towards this project”. Mr Morton said.
Storm water works and new safer fencing around all the clubs courts and clubhouse will complete the project which is set to commence in June this year.
Tennis West Places to Play Manager, Mr Graeme Hall, believes the project will enable the club to become more sustainable, particularly given the conversion to hard courts aligns with the Tennis West Strategic Facilities Plan.
“The Applecross Tennis Club has worked exceptionally hard to secure support for a project that is going to be beneficial for both its members and the broader community.”
“The conversion of grass to hard courts aligns with the key recommendations of the Tennis West Strategic Facilities Plan, with the four new hard courts helping the club become more sustainable.”
The new hardcourts will not only provide more playing opportunities for juniors and the general public, but it is anticipated that the conversion from grass courts will also decrease the amount of water used at the venue by 33%, thereby positively effecting the environment and the limited water supplies in WA
For more information about Sport Aus Funding, click here.
Latest
WA