By ANEEKA SIMONIS
Maintenance shortfall has led to tennis courts danger ban…
JUNIOR tennis players have been banned from competing on the Harkaway Tennis Club courts due to safety concerns.
The hazardous courts have several tears, scratches and divots on the surface which have been the cause of concern for players, parents and the Berwick and District Tennis Association who deemed the court unfit for play.
“The courts are so run down that it’s dangerous… other teams have refused to play here because it’s so dangerous,” said Jill Jenoe, the mother of junior 17-year-old player Connor Jenoe.
Unfortunately for players, the ruling means that junior competitors no longer have a home base to compete.
“It’s sad because young players now have to go elsewhere to compete in competitions,” said Casey councillor Rafal Kaplon who appealed to the council for funding to restore two of the four courts last month.
“It’s really sad… I have made friends here and now I might not see them depending on which court we move to,” said Jade Smith, 10, who has been playing with the club for the past four years.
The court ban was brought about by a parent complaint made earlier this year.
Lisa Stacey, mother of 15-year-old junior player Matthew Stacey, said she hopes the council repairs the courts soon.
“Harkaway doesn’t have many other community facilities.
“The tennis club is a great social outlet and it’d be a real blow to the community if it’s taken away from the kids who want to compete,” she said.
Although no announcements have been made about which courts will take on the kids, the lack of travel options from the Harkaway area has parents peeved.
“There is no bus service out here. I work four days a week so getting him there will be hard,” said Mrs Stacey.
Rosalie Counsell, a midweek ladies tennis competitor, said the state of the courts is driving new members away.
“We rather badly need an alternative venue for juniors to compete next season.
“As the courts deteriorated, numbers dropped off… we can’t have a membership drive with these conditions… now that we are down to a small number of members, we can’t afford repairs ourselves,” she said.
Cr Kaplon said the council has provided funding for the club in the past, but it’s been allocated to the wrong areas.
“A pool of money was used for the club house… but it wasn’t allocated to upgrade club facilities.
“The priority should have been courts.
“The club can’t function properly without them,” he said.
Club secretary David de Crespigny agreed.
“To be honest, (previous funding has been) pointless.
“We need courts we can actually play on before you get the other things.”
Cr Kaplon is asking that two of the four tennis courts to be considered for funding by mid-December this year.
