Lights are GO

Everyone,

The eagle-eyed amongst you may well have noticed two things tennis-related in the last weeks

1)         a distinct lack of information from the Committee about the status of the lighting project for our club, and

2)         some strange aluminium poles lying in the car park and then being erected around our courts

Well, I’m delighted to report that our lighting project is….finally……happening!!

We haven’t wanted to jinx the scheme by telling you recently, just because the whole process has been so frustrating and fraught with delays and complexity.

But it is really happening, work started last week, and in the next 2-3 weeks the work should be complete – all in good time for when the nights start drawing in (I know, I’m not ready for the end of summer yet either!)

This really is fabulous news, and I do hope you enjoy and gain value from the lights in the coming months and years. One of the things we hope the lights will achieve will be that there is more flexibility to schedule course, matches and other events, which will mean more playing time for everyone. I hope this happens.

In particular, on behalf of the club I would like to thank the following

the LTA, who have been behind us all the way with this project.

John Hubbard – for his unstinting pursuit of all funding options, preparation of the various presentations, financial cases and submissions we had to make to enable us to secure this funding

Gary Johnson and Doug Palmer – their project management and hard work in managing the physical project, coordinating plans, preparation of the planning approval and selection of the contractors has been superb

As many of you know, this lighting project is the essential first step in our vision for the Club. Next stage, which we have been working on for the last 2 years, is for the provision of 2 extra courts (perhaps with lighting and a practice wall) and a new clubhouse. This is also proving extremely tricky, but we are working hard to achieve it, and will continue to feed back as we get closer to securing the extensive funding needed for this project. We will be discussing this further at the AGM on November 13th, would love to see you there.

The question of charging for the use of the lights is one that the Committee has been considering, and we will be making recommendations at the AGM as to the optimum approach to charging. In the meantime, until the AGM, use of the floodlit courts will be available to members at no extra cost, so we hope you are able to take full advantage of being able to play into the evening, up to 10 at night!!!!

We will be celebrating the lights formally, probably in mid October. We will provide more details closer to the time, and really hope you can join us.

Best regards

Everyone,

The eagle-eyed amongst you may well have noticed two things tennis-related in the last weeks

1)         a distinct lack of information from the Committee about the status of the lighting project for our club, and

2)         some strange aluminium poles lying in the car park and then being erected around our courts

Well, I’m delighted to report that our lighting project is….finally……happening!!

We haven’t wanted to jinx the scheme by telling you recently, just because the whole process has been so frustrating and fraught with delays and complexity.

But it is really happening, work started last week, and in the next 2-3 weeks the work should be complete – all in good time for when the nights start drawing in (I know, I’m not ready for the end of summer yet either!)

This really is fabulous news, and I do hope you enjoy and gain value from the lights in the coming months and years. One of the things we hope the lights will achieve will be that there is more flexibility to schedule course, matches and other events, which will mean more playing time for everyone. I hope this happens.

In particular, on behalf of the club I would like to thank the following

the LTA, who have been behind us all the way with this project.

John Hubbard – for his unstinting pursuit of all funding options, preparation of the various presentations, financial cases and submissions we had to make to enable us to secure this funding

Gary Johnson and Doug Palmer – their project management and hard work in managing the physical project, coordinating plans, preparation of the planning approval and selection of the contractors has been superb

As many of you know, this lighting project is the essential first step in our vision for the Club. Next stage, which we have been working on for the last 2 years, is for the provision of 2 extra courts (perhaps with lighting and a practice wall) and a new clubhouse. This is also proving extremely tricky, but we are working hard to achieve it, and will continue to feed back as we get closer to securing the extensive funding needed for this project. We will be discussing this further at the AGM on November 13th, would love to see you there.

The question of charging for the use of the lights is one that the Committee has been considering, and we will be making recommendations at the AGM as to the optimum approach to charging. In the meantime, until the AGM, use of the floodlit courts will be available to members at no extra cost, so we hope you are able to take full advantage of being able to play into the evening, up to 10 at night!!!!

We will be celebrating the lights formally, probably in mid October. We will provide more details closer to the time, and really hope you can join us.

Best Regards

Adrian Jones Chairman, Alton Tennis Club