Reopening the Indoor Courts at Ocean Park
Donation protected
INDOOR TENNIS @ THE OCEAN PARK ARENA (formerly the Welsh National Tennis Centre)
Many of you will remember the Welsh National Tennis Centre based at Ocean Way. It was a 13-court indoor and outdoor venue with adjoining members gym, and hosted the Tennis Wales offices, performance programmes and professional level tournaments up to WTA Tour. I even ball-boy'd at the inaugural event!
Sadly, it was closed by its operator in 2013 (read a Wales Online article HERE where you'll see some of our members voicing their displeasure!)
https://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/protest-welsh-national-tennis-centre-5778699
7-years later, the site is being completely redeveloped as the Ocean Park Arena. The OPA is a Community Interest Company, with profits generated put back into the development of the centre. It houses 3G football facilities, education space, a sports bar AND....there are still 3 indoor tennis courts!
In partnership with Tennis Squad we want to bring the courts up to usable condition and re-open them September 2020 for public Pay & Play bookings and coaching sessions for both new and regular players. We've recruited 3 highly respected coaches in Tom Bellingham, Becca Strelzyn and Claire Powell to join our existing team, and are ready to go with training sessions as soon as possible....
We need your help!
The Courts need a deep clean and 3 sets of wheel-away tournament grade tennis nets, costing at least £2,400. We hope to gain LTA funding to resurface the courts with tennis lines only and permanent nets, but this takes time and we want to open ASAP to start generating usage and establishing tennis among the other activities on-site.
All donations received will be put towards these start-up costs, and any surplus towards improving the tennis facilities and community activities at the new Ocean Park Arena. If we get a full resurface and permanent nets later on. we will of course pass on the temporary nets to another club or community venue in need of a helping hand :)
Thanks for reading and supporting our tennis community!
Many of you will remember the Welsh National Tennis Centre based at Ocean Way. It was a 13-court indoor and outdoor venue with adjoining members gym, and hosted the Tennis Wales offices, performance programmes and professional level tournaments up to WTA Tour. I even ball-boy'd at the inaugural event!
Sadly, it was closed by its operator in 2013 (read a Wales Online article HERE where you'll see some of our members voicing their displeasure!)
https://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/protest-welsh-national-tennis-centre-5778699
7-years later, the site is being completely redeveloped as the Ocean Park Arena. The OPA is a Community Interest Company, with profits generated put back into the development of the centre. It houses 3G football facilities, education space, a sports bar AND....there are still 3 indoor tennis courts!
In partnership with Tennis Squad we want to bring the courts up to usable condition and re-open them September 2020 for public Pay & Play bookings and coaching sessions for both new and regular players. We've recruited 3 highly respected coaches in Tom Bellingham, Becca Strelzyn and Claire Powell to join our existing team, and are ready to go with training sessions as soon as possible....
We need your help!
The Courts need a deep clean and 3 sets of wheel-away tournament grade tennis nets, costing at least £2,400. We hope to gain LTA funding to resurface the courts with tennis lines only and permanent nets, but this takes time and we want to open ASAP to start generating usage and establishing tennis among the other activities on-site.
All donations received will be put towards these start-up costs, and any surplus towards improving the tennis facilities and community activities at the new Ocean Park Arena. If we get a full resurface and permanent nets later on. we will of course pass on the temporary nets to another club or community venue in need of a helping hand :)
Thanks for reading and supporting our tennis community!
Organizer
Robert Wedlake
Organizer
