KEEN tennis players can ace their racket skills as refurbished courts reopen to the public.
All five public tennis courts at Egerton Park, Bexhill, have benefited from resurfacing, nets and posts and a new gate system as part of the Lawn Tennis Association (LTA) Park Project.
The courts can now be booked via www.lta.org.uk/play/ with the new booking systems and gate access technology making it easier to get on court by booking in advance to guarantee availability.
The improvements have been possible thanks to Government LTA investment of more than £100,000.
Councillor Hazel Timpe, the district council’s portfolio holder for neighbourhood services and tourism, said: “The transformation of the tennis courts at Egerton Park is amazing and will ensure they can be enjoyed for years to come.”
“We are grateful to the Government and LTA for recognising the importance of the courts to our community and will continue to work closely with them to take up any opportunities to encourage more people into the sport to stay healthy and active.”
Painting of the court surface and the final line marking of the courts will be completed in early spring when the weather is more suitable, but temporary line markings mean they are playable in the meantime.
Enhancements to the access will also be made early in the new year.
Rother District Council is working with the LTA and the charity Tennis For Free to further deliver the range of activities at Egerton Park to encourage more residents to play tennis.
While it hasn’t been possible to resurface the court for informal ball games under the LTA grant, which is specifically for tennis, minor improvements will be made to the court ahead of the Easter holidays.
As a result of their own successful fundraising efforts, Bexhill Tennis Club will also be resurfacing the two courts leased to them.
More information about booking a court at Egerton Park can be found at www.rother.gov.uk/leisure-and-events/sports-bookings/tennis
