Funding welcomed for Ballarat Regional Tennis Centre upgrade

City of Ballarat Mayor Daniel Moloney has welcomed the announcement of $1.02 million in Victorian Government funding for an upgrade to Ballarat Regional Tennis Centre in Wendouree. 

Member for Wendouree Juliana Addison announced the funding on Tuesday from the Victorian Government's Community Sports Infrastructure Stimulus Program.

The City of Ballarat will contribute $130,000 and the Ballarat Regional Tennis Centre will put in $13,000 for the upgrade, which will include six new 'Hot Shots' courts, which are designed for children aged 4 to 11 years to develop their skills.

Court lighting at the Dowling Street facility will be upgraded to new LED lighting infrastructure and fittings to meet Australian standards for club competitions.   

City of Ballarat Mayor Daniel Moloney said the new courts would have a big impact on tennis in Ballarat.

"The new courts and infrastructure will make it easier for the Ballarat Regional Tennis Centre to increase local participation rates in tennis and to attract more tournaments to the city, with the economic benefits that brings."

"COVID-19 has impacted levels of participation in organised sport in Ballarat, and major facilities upgrades like this help our community sports organisations to attract and retain Ballarat participants."

Member for Wendouree Juliana Addison said the funding was great news for the community.

"Congratulations to the Ballarat Regional Tennis Centre on receiving funding from the Community Sports Infrastructure Stimulus program. This significant project will encourage more people, particularly emerging players, to take up tennis."

The funding is great news for not only Ballarat Tennis, the Ballarat community as this project will inject over $1 million into the local economy."

"With this investment in the Hot Shots courts, the next Ash Barty might just come from Ballarat."