Binalong Tennis Club received grant funding through the State Government for approximately $89,000 to resurface the dilapidated courts.
Binalong Progress Association President and Tennis Club Treasurer Libby Elliot said the courts can now be used for both tennis and netball.
Libby said they applied for the grant mid- 2021 and received confirmation in November.
“Everything just fell into place,” she said. The local courts have been unusable for about three years ago but have been in a poor condition the last seven years.
When the courts were in use they would average about 30 competitors but since their closure many athletes either travelled to Yass or Harden or simply gave up the sport.
The court upgrade began on January 3 and is set to be completed at the beginning of March.
Libby expressed her excitement over the project nearing completion – “It’s great. It’ll be fantastic for the community.”
“It was just such an awful space to look down on for a while.”
The Binalong Progress Association and the Tennis Club also raised about $20,000 through fundraising with the support of the community.
“There will be a little bit leftover,” Libby said. “We want to keep a little bit up our sleeve.”
“But it’s nice to be able to do everything we wanted to do and have a little bit left.”
The court base will be like the previous court’s synthetic grass.
“The last one has lasted 35 years,” she said. “So if these ones last the same I think it’s pretty good.”
The posts that support the tennis net can be removed when the court is being prepped for netball practices and games.
There are safety caps that sit on top of the hole in the ground, so nobody falls in and breaks an ankle Libby said.
Libby said the club also considered incorporating basketball courts but decided adding a third sporting code may be too confusing.
The tennis lines are white and about an inch wide whereas the netball’s lines are yellow and two inches wide.
Libby said the refreshed courts will help to rejuvenate the community.
Before the courts can be utilised by the community the Tennis Club are planning to set up an online booking system where players receive a PIN code to open the courts after paying.
Libby said it may be a few weeks before the system is set up and the courts will be available to use.
“But it’s still very exciting to be that close and not years away.”
By Brianna O’Rourke
