Ballinasloe & District Tennis Club is awarded significant funding

Architect's drawing

Ballinasloe Tennis Club has just received a Sports Capital Grant of €29,000 (out of €50,000 applied for) which, along with funds already held by the club from fundraising and membership over the last few years, will be used for essential ground works including drainage, access road and gates, fencing off the site from the running track, and building of two new courts beside the track in Brackernagh.

The Club have had a busy year, despite leaving their long-term home to allow the Rugby Club to develop their new all-weather pitch. With activities all throughout the summer, the club also participated in the Midland League men's competition and held a Halloween Camp over the recent mid-term break. Further fundraising may be required to complete this first phase, which the club plans to have completed by Spring 2020. Any contractor interested in quoting for the preliminary works should contact the club at the email address below.

This will be the first phase of an ambitious development proposed for the site in the Sports Hub in Brackernagh - a multi-purpose indoor Sports and Community Centre that, in addition to tennis, will cater for handball, basketball, netball, futsal, volleyball, badminton, table tennis, bowls, yoga, pilates and other sports and activities not already catered for in the town. The club sees the facility providing a safe and welcoming environment with a range of activities for everyone, including teenagers, special needs, minority and disadvantaged groups and local residents, who all currently have very limited places to go to.

A leading firm of sports architects, Cummins & Voortman Ltd. has been commissioned to prepare plans for the building and site. The club and architect Robert Cummin recently presented their vision for the development to local councillors, TDs and other interested parties.

​They will shortly be meeting the council for further discussions. In the meantime, the club is continuing with fundraising and have just launched their new EuroMillionsPlus Syndicate – if you’d like to have four entries in both draws every week for a whole year and support the Tennis Club for only €30, please contact any of the committee members. The club would also be delighted to hear from anyone interested in playing tennis, or anyone who is interested or can help with the new development or fundraising in any way.

For more details of club activities please see their facebook page or email [email protected] or call: Sarah 087 680 0598 (Junior and Coaching queries), Garry 085 112 4197, Joe 087 252 1424, Louise 087 135 3751, Ellie 087 411 5599, Kevin 087 621 9905 or Declan 087 915 9771.