Honourary shovels hit the ground at the Stratford Tennis Club courts, where a new year-round facility is expected to be ready for use by October.
The current tennis courts, located at Upper Queens park, will be getting a refresher. The new facility will be a five court, air-supported dome, operational year-round. It is part of a $5.6 million initiative by Tennis Canada and supported by Rogers to build 160 new year-round courts across Canada by 2029.
Stephen Fischer, president of the Stratford Tennis Club called the beginning of this process incredibly important – and the support they’ve gotten instrumental.
“A project like this is very expensive,” Fischer said. “And having an organization like Rogers behind you is huge. Their contribution is going to make a significant difference.”
The winter bubble is being funded through Tennis Canada and Rogers, with the media company providing $200,000 of seed money and the Tennis Clubs of Canada footing the rest of the bill. All-in-all the project is expected to be approximately $1 million.
The bubble will be a state of the art structure. Adam Seigel, CEO of Tennis Clubs Canada, told Tennis Canada that the facility in Stratford will be beyond other translucent bubbles. The one in Stratford will be 93 per cent transparent.
Aside from being aesthetically pleasing -- especially during dreary winters -- it will also be energy efficient. On overcast days, for example, members won't need any lights on.
Aside from the bubble, other upgrades are being made to the existing courts. So far court 1, the court closest to the road, has been converted from a hard to a clay court and the lighting system has been overhauled with new LED lights for night tennis.
The bubble will be operated by Tennis Clubs of Canada through the winter season, with the Stratford Tennis Club continuing to operate during the summer. Consequently, memberships will be required through the Tennis Clubs of Canada in the winter and the Stratford Tennis Club in the summer.
Stratford is one of four new facilities announced by Tennis Canada and Rogers. The other planned courts in this phase are in Toronto, Thunder Bay, and Edmonton. Eleven courts in Markham, Hamilton, and Calgary are complete.
The Stratford facility should be complete Oct. 1 for the winter season though it is now more than a year delayed.
Mayor Martin Ritsma said he wants to focus on the future and the good news. He clarified that the reason for the delay was due to some concerns regarding a few trees along the perimeter being a fire hazard.
“Our planning department are doing their job,” Ritsma said. “But I always believe that when there is a problem or barrier there are solutions for it. We’re going to find a solution and have this facility here in Stratford for next winter. I really, 100 per cent believe that.”
Both Ritsma and Fischer referred to the permit process as “in discussion.”
Ritsma also stated that first and foremost the facility is for the avid-tennis community in the area, though did indicate that the city’s sport tourism strategy may play a role. The new strategy from the city aims to expand tourism in the city from sporting events.
Ritsma said that the possibility of renting out the facility to outside groups is one that might be considered in the future, though currently bookings are only available to members of the Stratford Tennis Club and Tennis Clubs of Canada.
The Stratford facility will run seasonally. The summer season will run from May 1 to Sept. 30, through the Stratford Tennis Club. In October the bubble goes up, taking a few days to be prepared, and will stay operational until late April, allowing play throughout the winter. They will be available from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. in the summer and 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. in the winter.
For more information, visit the Stratford Tennis Club's website.
