As many of you will be aware, the proposed redevelopment of Coors
facility at Anstey Rd has reached consultation stage, with an open
session and consultation meeting on the 18th May.
First the bad news - it is now clear that the council decided not
to include improved tennis facilities for Alton in the
redevelopment plans, deciding instead to invest in an all-terrain
pitch, suitable for football and hockey. For those of you who
attended our last AGM, or who were at the public meeting in May,
this may be a surprise and disappointment. Certainly we in the
Committee are still scratching our heads about what changed when.
But we are where we are. And the more positive news is that
because of everyone’s hard work, tennis has been well and truly
brought to the attention of the Council, and we stand a good
chance of being able to secure funds for the necessary
improvements to our club, and to bring Alton Tennis Club to the
point it needs to be – as the focal point for tennis playing in
Alton and surrounding area. The Council had been unaware of the
situation, and was surprised at the strength of public opinion for
extending tennis facilities in Alton.
The arguments that the Council members were surprised about,
and which are significant factors include
1) tennis is a popular (top ten) sport in
England, and more than other sports is enjoyed across all
ages, sex, class and ethnicity. For example tennis is
enjoyed more than any other ball sport or team game among
girls, and among boys it is second only to football in
popularity. There was a criticism last night that the
proposed sports facilities are all about “Men and balls”.
Tennis is about much more than this, and we are a community,
based around a common enthusiasm for tennis, and providing a
service to the community.
2) Tennis is growing in popularity, 10% more
popular than 5 years ago
3) In order to provide the best possible
service to the community, we urgently need improved
facilities, including two new courts, and particularly
lighting and new clubhouse facilities. Alton is a town that
caters well for all the top ten sports in England, with one
glaring exception – tennis. We work hard to provide a
friendly club that offers a valuable service and enjoyable
environment to enjoy tennis in Alton, but with extra
investment we could achieve so much more for the town and
the community. As a comparison, Medstead is a tennis club
with three courts to our two, and a super new clubhouse, yet
Medstead itself is a community only one TENTH the size of
Alton. All credit to Medstead for securing those facilities,
and building a strong, successful and valuable club. The
time is now for Alton to realise the opportunity to update
and extend Alton Tennis Club, and increase the value that we
can provide to our members and the community of Alton
Please be assured that the Committee is working very hard to
try and make this a reality. The setback of not being an integral
part of the Anstey Rd Redevelopment plan means that the process is
likely to be much longer term and tortuous, but we still
absolutely need your help and support.
If you have any suggestions or input to how the Committee
can represent the club to maximum effect, please do let us know. I
would welcome email, and any support you can offer. Please contact
me at altontennisclub@altontennisclub.co.uk
Adrian Jones
Chairman, Alton Tennis Club
22nd May 2006
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Team Play
