Serving up a new tennis experience in Wendouree

It won’t be long before Ballarat youngsters will have the opportunity to hone their tennis skills and strive to become tennis hot shots of the future.

The City of Ballarat has advertised a tender for the construction of six new Hot Shots courts as part of a $1.14 million upgrade to the Ballarat Regional Tennis Centre at Wendouree.

'Hot Shots' courts, are specifically designed for children aged 4 to 11 years to develop their skills.

The project is funded through the Victorian Government’s Community Sports Infrastructure Stimulus Program with $114,881 from the City of Ballarat and a $13,000 contribution from the Ballarat Regional Tennis Centre.

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

It’s anticipated the upgrade will raise local tennis participation rates and help attract more tennis tournaments to the City. 

Member for Wendouree, Juliana Addison said the project could not come at a better time, with regional centres like Ballarat preparing for a Vaccinated Economy and the return of community sport, particularly for children.

“Community sport like tennis contributes to improved health and wellbeing and I am certain that this upgrade will encourage more people, particularly new players to give tennis a shot.”

City of Ballarat Mayor Daniel Moloney said the works and flow-on effects, would contribute significantly to the Ballarat economy and the city’s reputation as a preferred location for major tournaments.

Works on the court lighting are expected to start in December 2021 and on the Hot Shots Courts in early-2022.