Busselton’s tennis future is about to be served an ace, a winner down the line, to a new site slightly further than a couple of bouncing balls east of the Busselton Tennis Club’s present position on Marine Terrace – to the corner of Georgette Street.
The 15 grass courts being prepared are currently greening quickly in ideal conditions and are well on the way to being playable by the club’s ‘Busselton Toyota Open Tournament’ in March 2019, despite the full clubrooms and facility not being open until October 2019.
As well as the grass courts at least six competitive standard ‘Plexipave’ surface courts, with lights, will be prepared over the next 12 months with ground space still available for a full 12-court hard court complex.
The new SW tennis centre will be the culmination of seven years of concentrated partnership between the City of Busselton, BTC and over that past three years, BTC’s Relocation Committee, working to a strict Tennis Australia standard of court preparation.
The partnership was recognized recently during the Tennis West Awards night when the City of Busselton took out the Local Government Award.
Achitects D’Agostino and Luff have designed the club-specific building, which is being constructed by Innovest Construction.
Groundwork for the clubhouse started last week with the new club’s supporting maintenance shed and irrigation system both already completed and functional.
BTC president Barry House said the club had a proud heritage stretching back to 1904. He said he was extremely confident of the club’s future as it continued to serve Busselton and it’s wider regional SW communities with quality club tennis by the bay.
Reflecting on that heritage, in 1999, lifetime members Laurie Basten and Kevin Merifield along with other dedicated members helped build the current limestone clubrooms named the ‘Charlie Clayton Pavilion’ in honour of long-time patron, the late Charlie Clayton.
He had been involved with the club for 43 years, in which time he was a player, committee member, president and patron.
It is this building and it’s associated social significance that forms so much member connectivity over the past 20 years and is a profound reason why current members willingly continue to volunteer, such as helping to prepare the new relocated grass courts with expert guidance from club green-keeper Chris Ashton.
New members are always encouraged to join and visitors are most welcome to play, with full information available on the website – busseltontennisclub.com.au
