Upgrade at Tennis Centre will get more people active
Hervey Bay & District Tennis Association has hit a winner after securing funding to upgrade its amenities.
Federal Member for Hinkler Keith Pitt congratulated the organisation on its $149,500 grant, from the second round of the popular Community Sport Infrastructure Program.
“This Tennis Centre will upgrade the current male and female facilities including change areas, disabled amenities and shower facilities,” Mr Pitt said.
“Improving access to facilities means more people can get active. Sport plays an important role across the Hervey Bay region and the benefits of this investment in the facilities will be felt right across the community.
“Sport 2030 recognises sport plays a significant role in Australia, from our biggest cities, to regional communities like ours here on the Fraser Coast,” he said.
Hervey Bay & District Tennis Association president Geoff Arnell said the Tennis Centre is used by tennis players of all ages from five years of age up to 90 years old.
“Residents of the Fraser Coast and the many visitors that attend the centre each year, including wheel chair tennis players and supporters, will have access to a first class amenities block once work is completed,” he said.
“The Association has completed in the vicinity of $500,000 of improvements at the centre in the past eight years making it one of the best regional tennis centres in Australia.”
The centre is open to the public seven days per week from 6am to 9pm and has a tennis professional on site Monday to Friday from 3pm to 7pm.
Mr Arnell said the Association amenities are utilised heavily by the Queensland Touch Association each July and through-out the year we hold major tennis tournaments for junior, senior and open competitors.
“At present we only have two shower rooms for up wards of 150 players per tournament.
“The Federal Government grant is a major commitment to the Fraser Coast a commitment that the volunteerâs that run the Association are most grateful for.”
“The Coalition Government understands that our success and prowess as a sporting nation begins with grassroots sports, which is why we have focused our investment on local grassroots sporting facilities such as the amenities upgrade at the Hervey Bay Tennis Centre,” Minister for Regional Services and Sport Senator Bridget McKenzie said.
“As outlined in the National Sports Plan, Sport 2030, grassroots sports help drive increased participation and promote social, health and community benefits of physical activity and sport â a key priority for our government.”