Wallingford Town Council (WTC) and the Lawn Tennis Association (LTA) are teaming up to give Bull Croft Park tennis courts the makeover.
WTC will work with a contractor yet to be chosen to deliver a mix of free and cost-effective tennis sessions to the public.
Included in these sessions are the LTA’s Free Park Tennis events, which take place every weekend at 10am, with volunteers holding the sessions for participants of all ages and skill levels.
Local Tennis Leagues will also be hosted here, presenting residents with the chance to participate in friendly competitions.
READ MORE: The tennis courts at Bull Croft Park in Wallingford
The courts will cost £6 per court per hour to book, or an annual household pass costing £45 will provide unlimited court bookings at less than £1 per week.
The newly modified courts can be reserved in advance using the LTA’s website, ensuring availability at the time of play.
Construction work is set to commence this Spring and is expected to be completed within four weeks.
Councillor Steve Holder, chair of the parks, gardens, allotments and open spaces committee, said: “This project forms part of a larger scheme to improve facilities in the Bull Croft Park which will see a new children’s play area, pavilion, adult functional outside gym and steps and bridges to protect the 9th century Saxon fortifications which is currently going through the planning process.
“Archaeological digs will be taking place in the next few months and we hope to start the upgrade in 2025.”
This is part of a wider, £30 million Government initiative and LTA Tennis Foundation project that aims to renovate public tennis courts across Britain.
The project involves upgrading dated or unplayable courts across the country.
There will also be changes to introduce new gate-access technology and an improved booking system, simplifying the process for people to reserve their time on the courts.
The courts provide both children and adults with opportunities to stay active, contributing to their physical and mental wellbeing.
These venues are particularly popular among women, girls, and communities traditionally under-represented in the sport.
Julie Porter, chief operating officer at the LTA, said: “We are delighted to be working with Wallingford Town Council to improve their park tennis facilities and provide more opportunities for anyone to pick up a racket and get active.
“We will also be working closely with the Council to ensure that the local community have a range of accessible opportunities to get on court, and open up our sport to many more people.”