Alongside the investment, Lambeth Council and the various coaching providers of the tennis programme across the parks, will also work with the LTA to deliver a range of activity across the park sites.
This will include weekly organised free park tennis sessions for all ages, playing levels and experience where equipment is provided, meaning that people will not need someone to play with or their own racket. Local Tennis Leagues will also provide friendly, sociable, opportunities to get active through local competition.
The park venues being renovated are Myatts Field Park, Streatham Vale Park and The Rookery, whilst Hillside Gardens will also be available to book online including via the LTA website www.lta.org.uk/play/book-a-tennis-court, making it far easier to find and book a court or activity.
All courts and sessions at all sites will be available to book online via the LTA website www.lta.org.uk/play/book-a-tennis-court
Park tennis courts are vital in providing opportunities for children and adults to get active, delivering significant physical and mental health and wellbeing benefits to participants. Accessible facilities in parks are particularly critical to opening up the sport to those from lower socioeconomic backgrounds and women and girls.
Cllr Donatus Anyanwu, Lambeth’s Cabinet Member for Stronger Communities, Leisure and Sports, said: “Good local sports courts are really important in helping our residents take part in healthy and fun activities, so I’m delighted this partnership will see an upgrade to four courts across our borough.
“It’s great the courts are being renovated, and equally good news that we will begin working with the LTA to deliver accessible tennis sessions once the work is complete that will be open to people of all ages and abilities.”
The project is part of a nationwide investment by the UK Government and LTA Tennis Foundation, delivered by the LTA, to refurbish public tennis courts across Great Britain, and open up the sport to many more people. This investment will see thousands of existing park tennis courts in poor or unplayable condition brought back to life for the benefit of communities across the country through renovation works, and improved court accessibility with new gate-access technology and booking systems.
Julie Porter, Chief Operating Officer at the LTA, said: “We are delighted to be working with Lambeth Council to improve their park tennis facilities and provide more opportunities for anyone to pick up a racket and get active. This investment is part of the UK Government and LTA’s Parks Tennis Project, and will mean that courts will be available for people to use for years to come. We will also be working closely with Lambeth Council to ensure that the local community have a range of accessible opportunities to get on court, and open up our sport to many more people.”
