Barnet Council and the Lawn Tennis Association (LTA) have teamed up to refurbish and invest in public park tennis courts across the borough, in a project worth over £1.2 million.
A total of 21 park tennis venues will be renovated to ensure quality facilities are available for the local community.
The investment is part of a nationwide effort by the UK Government and LTA Tennis Foundation, which aims to refurbish public tennis courts across the UK and make the sport accessible to many more people. The project will see thousands of existing park tennis courts in poor or unplayable condition brought back to life through renovation works, with improved court accessibility thanks to new gate-access technology and booking systems.
The partnership between Barnet Council and the LTA to refurbish public park tennis courts is similar to the recent upgrade of tennis courts in Harrow. As part of the refurbishment project, the Edgware and Burnt Oak tennis courts will also receive much-needed upgrades. The investment of over £1.2 million will help ensure that quality facilities are available for the local community.
Barnet Council will contribute £545,101 towards the project, with £688,451 coming from the UK Government and LTA Tennis Foundation. In addition to the investment, the council and tennis coaching providers will work with the LTA to deliver a range of activities across the park sites, including weekly organised free park tennis sessions for all ages, playing levels, and experience, where equipment is provided.
The investment will also improve the court’s accessibility for those from lower socioeconomic backgrounds, women and girls, and will open up the sport to many more people. The parks being renovated include Bittacy Hill Park, Child’s Hill Park, Edgwarebury Park, Friary Park, Halliwick Recreation Ground, Hendon Park, Lyttleton Playing Fields, Mill Hill Park, New Southgate Recreation Ground, Northway Gardens, Oak Hill Park, Old Courthouse Recreation Ground, Princes Park, and Sunnyhill Park.
The project is expected to start in March 2023 and be completed by September 2023. All courts and sessions at all sites will be available to book online via the LTA website. The park venues being renovated are: Bethune Recreation Ground, Cherry Tree Woods, Montrose Playing Fields, Rushgrove Park, Stonegrove Park, Tudor Sports Ground, and West Hendon Park will also be available to book online via the LTA website, making it far easier to find and book a court or activity.
Councillor Alan Schneiderman, Chair of the Environment and Climate Change Committee, said, “This is a great investment for the people of Barnet. We’re delighted to be working with the LTA to improve their health and wellbeing while helping them have lots of fun on the tennis courts.”
Julie Porter, Chief Operating Officer at the LTA, said, “We are delighted to be working with Barnet Council to improve their park tennis facilities and provide more opportunities for anyone to pick up a racket and get active. This investment is part of the UK Government and LTA’s Parks Tennis Project, and will mean that courts will be available for people to use for years to come.”
