Plans revealed for development of tennis on the NSW Central Coast

Central Coast Council is partnering with Tennis NSW to develop an action plan to improve participation in the sport and improve the region’s courts.

The draft Central Coast Tennis Facilities Action Plan went to Council’s meeting on 28th September  and has subsequently been on exhibition for public feedback.

Central Coast Council owns 30 of the 32 tennis centres across the local government area with an asset portfolio valued at $13 million.

Of those, 14 clubs affiliated with Tennis NSW operate at Council facilities with more than 3,000 members.

Another eight Council venues are unaffiliated with operating clubs, a further eight are open to the public free of charge, and two are privately owned.

Of the 30 Council-owned tennis venues, 22 have active coaching operators.

A recent report to the Council advised that many sites have inadequate lighting levels for commercial or competition use and there are a number of sites where the condition of the courts is a result of inadequate recurrent investment.

To bring the court portfolio up to a safe playable standard and maintain it will require a significant investment in capital and operational expenditure, with six sites requiring works within three years.

The draft plan envisages allocating a total $1.02 million up to and including the 2024/25 capital works budget.

Council will also seek funding through Tennis Australia, state and federal grant programs for renewals, upgrades and new tennis facilities.

Some of the planning proposals in the five-year action plan include redevelopment of regional scale tennis facilities at Wyong and Gosford to host events that generate sports tourism benefits for the regional economy.

Another proposal is a sub-regional tennis centre in the Warnervale area.

Explaining that the draft Tennis Facilities Action Plan would ensure they were properly maintained, managed and any opportunities around them were realised, Central Coast Council Administrator Rik Hart stated “the draft action plan sets the vision for the region which is to have a network of high-quality, inclusive tennis facilities that contribute to the active and social lifestyles of our community.

“People might not know that many tennis courts managed by Council remain open, unlocked and free for public use and this is one of the many services that we deliver year-on-year for our ratepayers.

“This action plan is a positive step to ensure that Council is making smart, calculated decisions around facility planning and improvements, that these community facilities continue to remain open and fit for purpose for all to enjoy and may even encourage more people to get into the sport.”

Comments on the draft Central Coast Tennis Facilities Action Plan 2021 should be addressed to Central Coast Council Chief Executive, David Farmer before 7th November 2021 via: ask@centralcoast.nsw.gov.au

Click here to view the draft Central Coast Tennis Facilities Action Plan 2021.