Council secures £50,000 grant to refurbish Caldecott Park tennis courts

The grant, delivered by the LTA Tennis Foundation's Park Tennis Project and supported by Government funding, means both of the park's tennis courts can be completely revamped, with new, hard court surfaces, net posts, nets, security gates and fencing.

And the refurbished courts look set to be linked to an online booking system, Clubspark, so tennis players can book a court online and simply enter a PIN code to gain access to the court for a game.

The LTA has appointed Leicester-based tennis court specialists Fosse Contracts to carry out the refurbishment, with work set to be completed by the end of September.

Cllr Maggie O'Rourke, Rugby Borough Council portfolio holder for partnerships and wellbeing, said: "With Wimbledon still fresh in the memory, we're delighted to confirm the refurbishment of Caldecott Park's tennis courts with support from the LTA's Park Tennis Project.

"The project aims to make tennis accessible to all, with the online booking system and security gate proven to boost participation numbers during a three-year pilot.

"And with a set amount of free tennis sessions available as part of the LTA's support, we're looking forward to welcoming tennis players of all ages and abilities to the Caldecott courts in the very near future."

The tennis courts at Caldecott Park first opened more than 100 years ago but have recently become a regular target for vandals, prompting the plans to introduce new security gates and fencing.

The total refurbishment bill comes to £73,850, with the remaining cash coming from Section 106 contributions for outdoor sports provision from developers of the former Cattle Market site in Railway Terrace.

Cllr Neil Sandison, Rugby Borough Council's Liberal Democrat spokesperson for partnerships and wellbeing, said: "We very much welcome this grant from the LTA and the use of Section 106 contributions from local development to provide an outdoor recreational sporting facility.

"Encouraging tennis for all in a public space will help improve access to the sport and promote health and wellbeing."

During the refurbishment of the Caldecott Park tennis courts, residents can book a court at Rugby School Sports Centre.

To book, visit www.rugbyschoolsportscentre.com