THE City of Greater Bendigo is hopeful of resolving a dispute with a local tennis club after securing state government funding for a development at Harry Trott Oval.
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Kennington Social Tennis Club claims it was blindsided by a decision to turn its home courts into multi-use to accommodate netball at the venue.
Funding for the upgrade was officially announced by Sports Minister Damien Drum on October 10, with the tennis club adamant it has no desire to be upgraded or share its facility.
Club president Simon Perrin said the funding announcement had shocked members, who had no prior knowledge of the grant application.
But this has been disputed by council.
Active and healthy communities manager Patrick Jess said discussions with the tennis club had been ongoing since the adoption of a masterplan for the Kennington recreational reserves was adopted in 2009
Mr Jess said council was having ongoing discussion with an advisory committee that included representatives from the tennis club.
“We’re aware the tennis club is against any upgrades of the court and sharing the courts with any other user group,” he said.
“One of council’s planning aims is to have as much multi-use as possible.
“Currently the courts don’t meet modern-day standards.”
The redevelopment is being jointly funded by the City of Greater Bendigo ($215,000), and state government ($100,000), with the local community chipping in $35,000.
The courts will be resurfaced with new Plexipave material, with lighting to cover two of the courts.
They will eventually be home to Bendigo Football Netball League club South Bendigo, as well as Kennington Social Tennis Club.
Mr Jess pointed to the arrangement between the Huntly football, netball and tennis clubs at Strauch Reserve as evidence of successful shared use of facilities.
Dr Perrin said the upgrade would alter the function of the courts and amounted to a takeover.
“It is potentially a step forward for netball in Bendigo, but at the expense of tennis,” he said.”
“We have three reasonable courts now and two not so good courts, and with the changes we will have three good courts with reduced access.
“We would envisage a genuine upgrade of these courts to be four artificial grass courts with or without lights.
Dr Perrin said the club catered for opportunist” tennis players who would give the sport away if they could not access courts.
There are no other tennis courts within one and half kilometres of the reserve.