Press Release from Nelson Tennis Club

Nelson, BC – The Nelson Tennis Club and School District #8 Kootenay Lake invite you to celebrate the Grand Opening of the spectacular new court facilities above LVR High School on Saturday September 22, at 2pm. See how the site has been transformed; enjoy coffee and cake; win a door prize; participate in competitions; witness a “unique” ribbon cutting; and bring your gear to test out the new courts.

“It is amazing to realize that just 10 months ago, revitalization of the degraded site was just an idea in one person’s mind,” says Nelson Tennis Club President Keith Bridger. “Rob Wright’s idea was quickly embraced within the tennis club and in one month we had a design, work plan and budget to present to School District 8.”

The proposal included not only renovation of the four tennis courts, but also the addition of three new pickleball courts, basketball hoops, skateboard area, street hockey, and a kids play area.  The proposal was enthusiastically received, and in December the SD8 Board voted to partner with NTC. In February, a vital piece of the puzzle fell into place when $126,000 in funding was received from the Columbia Basin Trust Recreation Infrastructure Program.

“The dollars spent on the project total $280,000, but when in-kind contributions are factored in, the value of the project exceeds $350,000,” says Bridger. “Our suppliers and contractors recognized the benefits of the project, not only for our youth, but also for families, seniors, and the community at large. Their skilled work and generous contributions will be acknowledged at the Opening.” Volunteer work parties  from the Nelson Tennis Club were also critical to the successful completion of the project, on time and on budget. Over 1,900 hours of volunteer time were logged on the site day after day, weekend after weekend, not including hours of behind-the-scenes planning and networking.

Looking ahead, SD8 will have priority use of the courts during school hours for physical education classes. NTC will have a new home at the site and close ties to the school system which enables Matt Martin, the club’s highly qualified instructor, to expand the Junior Development Program and eventually establish a Tennis Academy for high-performance youngsters.

In future, NTC will be responsible for court maintenance and resurfacing costs. “As a non-profit, our mandate will be to secure the site to perpetuate a first-class facility and prevent a recurrence of the damage and deterioration of the past, while keeping the courts accessible and affordable for all,” says Bridger. For more information on drop-in and membership fees visit nelsontennisclub.com.

Tennis BC congratulates the Nelson Tennis Club on amazing work in the past 10 months and congratulates NTC on the Grand Opening! Be sure to join the NTC this Saturday for the Gran Opening!