Cash served up to help improve tennis courts at parks across Calderdale

Council Cabinet members agreed to accept the money from the national Lawn Tennis Association, to significantly improve a number of courts across the borough.

Courts at Centre Vale Park, Todmorden; Crow Wood Park, Sowerby Bridge; Holmfield Recreation Ground, Halifax; Millfold Recreation Ground/Soyland Tennis Club, Ryburn; Mixenden Park, Halifax, and Shelf Hall Park are likely to benefit.

Cabinet member for Public Services, Coun Jenny Lynn (Lab, Park) said the LTA offer was really good news at a time when services were often having to be trimmed.

The funds are part of a national programme aiming to bring existing courts back up to a good playable standard for benefit of local communities.

Improvements will include resurfacing, the replacement of nets and posts and repainting.

Each site will also have new fencing with gate access technology installed, allowing participants to receive a generated pin code when a booking is made, making it easier to manage bookings and guarantee access, councillors were told.

The LTA has found that the introduction of a gate access system has been shown to increase participation and enhance the experience.

Operating the courts in this way will provide opportunity to simplify the booking process, making the sport affordable and accessible with a percentage of free court time, low-cost pay-and-play, and affordable community coaching programmes, Cabinet members heard.

Now the council’s Cabinet has agreed to accept funding, further consultation will take place with park groups and local tennis clubs.