VanPubTennis

April 21, 2011: The VIPTP Steering Committee met at the Kitsilano Community Centre. Peter Jackson, who, as a representative of Tennis Canada and Tennis BC, as well as our group, has been most closely involved with Park Board staff through the recent feasibility study process, gave his summary of where we are now. His first observation was that Park Board staff, through their participation on the recent feasibilty study, have come to understand the public demand for indoor tennis, its potential value to community well-being, and the fact that public indoor tennis can earn a surplus on its cost of operation. These insights have brought them to the conceptual inclusion of indoor tennis as one of the services Park Board should be providing for the residents of Vancouver. The staff presentation of April 7 (see entry below), and the  Commissioners’ approval of staff’s recommendations, would indicate that Park Board is making a sincere effort to move in that direction.

Having noted that welcome development, Peter went on to suggest that the siting of a Western Canadian Tennis Training Centre in Vancouver seems at this point to remain a remote possibility. The requirement for a big patch of land (show court, eight indoor courts, eight outdoor courts) makes finding a site in Vancouver difficult. The Hastings Park area is inviting, but if the political will cannot be found to locate such a project there, it will likely not happen in Vancouver.

Park Board staff are presently doing their own internal study of tennis in Vancouver, indoor and outdoor, in order to input to a new requirement from the City Manager to  devise a ten year plan. In 2013, the City of Vancouver will be doing a review of all its recreational facilities, and Park Board wants to feed indoor tennis into that.

Another committee member asked if there was something our group could be doing to help move things along at this time. After some discussion it was suggested that Park Board will be very much pre-occupied with internal studies and final details for the Capital Plan 2012-2014 at the moment, and there is probably little we can do to any effect at this juncture, Nevertheless it is always a good time to seek support for indoor tennis from our civic elected representatives, and MLAs too, for that matter. As electioneering in Vancouver gets under way this fall, we should make sure candidates are aware of the value to the community of public indoor tennis, and the commitments made to it.

Peter noted that Park Board staff recommendation that funds be found in the 2012-2014 Capital Plan for a pilot indoor tennis project is the one that offers the nearest glimmer of light for we players. Because this would have to be accomplished as cheaply as possible, it is thought that the covering of existing outdoor courts somewhere, will be desirable. Sites that have been suggested and are under consideration are (alphabetical order):

• Champlain Heights Park – possible steel frame building over the four courts?
• Charleson Park – possible frame and fabric structure over the rooftop courts?
• Killarney Secondary School/ Killarney Community Centre – possible building over the four VSB courts – Park Board/VSB cooperative venture?
• Granville Park – possible bubble?
• New Brighton Park – possible steel frame building over the existing four courts, or a six to eight court facility?

There was some discussion of these various sites. It was thought that a location more east than west would be desirable. The observation was made that it will be our obligation to encourage a choice that will be best ensure a successful first venture. Choice of location will, of course, be the perogative of Park Board. The meeting adjourned, and members departed into the night buoyed by hope.

April 7, 2011: At the Park Board Meeting of the Planning and Environment Committee, Park Board staffers, Danica Djurkovic, Katherine Isaacs, and Thomas Soulliere, presented to the Commissioners recommendations drawn from the recently completed Feasibility Study for Indoor Tennis, co-sponsored by Park Board, Tennis BC, and Tennis Canada. While there is yet no reason to cheer from the rooftops, staff recommended to include indoor tennis in Park Board’s 10 year Strategic Plan, and in the Capital plan for 2012-2014 to move towards a pilot covered structure, at a location to be decided upon. There was no resolution put forward by the Commissioners, but all endorsed the staff proposals.

Click here for a PDF of the staff presentation.

Download a PDF of the Vancouver Indoor Tennis Feasibility Study here.

See Updates 2010 for background.