VIPTP
Vancouver Indoor Public Tennis Project
The recently completed Indoor Tennis Feasibility Study estimated that at the time of the study, a minimum of thirty two public courts would be required in Vancouver to meet the demand of frequent indoor players, who book every two weeks yearly. More courts if account be taken of occasional bookers playing indoors only one or more times per year. In late 2011 an additional eight courts opened at the UBC Tennis Centre, and at such time as the additional six at the Grant Connell Tennis Centre are available (both venues within a twenty minute drive for many Vancouverites), twenty public courts would still be required to meet demand (pp. 29, 30). Beyond this strong confirmation of what anyone who tries to book regularly at public facilities near to Vancouver already knows, the study’s 129 pages (cover to cover) provides a wealth of information and figures that will help guide progress towards developing public indoor tennis in Vancouver.
Download the Vancouver Indoor Tennis Feasibility Study
Park Board staff have recommended that indoor tennis become one of the services they deliver to the inhabitants of Vancouver, and that a pilot project for indoor tennis be undertaken with funds in the 2012-2014 Capital Plan. See VIPTP Updates 2011.
Park Board budget for 2012-2014, VIPTP
Park Board staff ultimately included in their budget submission $800,000 to be designated for tennis courts. These funds to provided regular maintenance and repair of our public park courts, hopefully an upgrade of the courts at Kitsilano Beach, and the pilot project for indoor tennis. PB staff have informed Vanpubtennis that they fully intend to proceed with the plan to provide a first public indoor facility by covering existing outdoor courts, using funds designated for court replacement, and funds from elsewhere in their budget.
Public Indoor Tennis for Vancouver:
Who is interested and why? infobulletin_1
Does it make sense? infobulletin_2
Will it be good for Vancouver? infobulletin_3
How will it fit into the big picture of sport, recreation, and fitness in B.C.? infobulletin_4
Community members are invited to participate on the committee that is engaging in discussions with Park Board on the Vancouver Indoor Public Tennis Project. For information e-mail to vanpubtennis@gmail.com.
In discussions with representatives of our civic government and Park Board staff it is a great help to be able to say so many hundred citizens have expressed support for this project. Show your support for VIPTP by requesting to receive updates on progress of this exciting public initiative. Send to vanpubtennis@gmail.com and ask to be put on the VIPTP e-mailing list.
To those who are already on our e-mailing list…Please let us know when your e-mail address changes!!
Next Steering Committee meeting is: TBA
See VIPTP Updates 2011 for details of recent meetings.
Terry Kong standing on his rained-out home Park Board courts, wishing there was a public indoor tennis facility in Vancouver (photo from Sing Tao daily).
Check out some of the public indoor courts that provide all-weather tennis to British Columbians outside Vancouver:
The Grant Connell Tennis Centre, North Vancouver. Six courts. You might want to turn the sound down a bit on this video.
Cedar Hill Recreation Centre, District of Saanich (Victoria). Four courts.
Another pic from the same terrific-looking facility – love those benches!
Oak Bay Recreation Centre (Victoria). Seven courts under a three court bubble and a four court bubble.
Panorama Recreation Centre, North Saanich. Four courts.
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UBC Tennis Centre, twelve courts (the four in the old frame & fabric structure pictured here).
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Steveston Community Centre, three courts (click on image to enlarge).
WHY IS THERE NOT A SINGLE INDOOR PUBLIC TENNIS FACILITY IN VANCOUVER??!!!!
