Tammy Coad and Stacey Pearse want Brimbank City Council to create free tennis courts. 76563 Picture: DAMJAN JANEVSKI
By Laura Wakely
A ST ALBANS resident angered by a tennis court lock-out, says council funded facilities should be free to all.
Tammy Coad thought she would take her daughter for a hit of tennis last week, buying her racquets as a holiday surprise.
The fun soon turned sour, however, as Ms Coad discovered each court she visited was locked and required a $15 fee to play.
She drove to courts across the municipality, including Sunshine, Delahey and Keilor, only to find the same result at each.
“It’s frustrating,” Ms Coad said.
“You can go to a football oval and kick around a footy but not for tennis.
“I found that unfair.”
Ms Coad said all of the facilities she drove to had several courts available, but she could not justifying paying $15 for a casual game.
“It would be different if you were hiring someone to teach your daughter,” she said.
“But we’re trying to keep active, it’s a recreational thing.”
After an hour and a half of searching, Ms Coad was unable to find free tennis courts anywhere.
She said Brimbank City Council should provide free facilities, given that ratepayers contribute to the upkeep of the tennis clubs and courts.
Council’s General Manager of Community Wellbeing Kelly Grigsby said the courts are locked because clubs rely on membership fees to survive and pay for regular maintenance.
She said residents could pay up to $120 a year to join one of the 11 clubs in Brimbank, which Ms Grigsby claimed was “considerably cheaper” than most club fees in Melbourne.
She said council assists clubs by contributing to renovations and major upgrades but does not manage or maintain courts as they do with sports ovals.
Although there is no guarantee, Ms Grigsby said council was considering turning two courts at the Albion Tennis club into public courts as part of a masterplan for Selwyn Park.
“Council is committed to creating active, healthy and safe communities and promotes better health outcomes through a wide range of community-based sport and recreation activities that are at no charge or at subsidised cost for the community,” Ms Grigsby said.
