The £250k project inspiring a whole new league of tennis players - but there’s one problem

Oldham Council and a leading tennis organisation recently joined forces to inspire a whole new league of players to pick up their racquets - but there’s one problem. 

The £250k scheme led by the Lawn Tennis Association (LTA) aimed to revamp courts in Oldham’s public parks.

But although the council announced that works had been completed last month, a number of the courts have been left ‘unusable’. 

The project was part of a nationwide scheme by LTA to refurbish public tennis courts across the UK.

The tennis governing body provided almost £241k of funding to Oldham Council, who topped up the sum with just over £11k from their own budget.

Many tennis areas in Alexandra Park, Chadderton Hall Park, High Crompton Park, Lower Memorial Park and Werneth Park have already been resurfaced and repainted, given new fencing and improved access gates.

But in Dunwood Park the courts are missing a fundamental part of the sport – the nets. 

Councillor Howard Sykes said: “The work on the courts was supposed to be finished in time for the summer months when the park is busiest.

"But here we are in August with no nets on the courts and other works not completed.

“This should be a good news story and from start to finish (whenever that might be), it has been poorly communicated and poorly delivered.”

The works were carried out by contractors organised by Oldham council. 

Sykes added: “Is Oldham Council inspecting the work that our contractors carry out or are we just taking their word for it?  

"It is quite an embarrassing position to be in when you have the council telling residents the work is finished when anyone who has set foot in Dunwood Park can clearly see this is not the case.”

But councillor Peter Dean, who leads on ‘Thriving communities and culture’ within the council, said the nets had been removed in anticipation of the works to be carried out – which had unfortunately been delayed. 

Coun Dean said: “Thanks to funding from the LTA and the Council, Oldham will soon have 17 fully refurbished tennis courts at six parks in the Borough.

"Improving our sporting facilities for residents is important to us and since we opened a few of the courts earlier this summer they are already proving a hit with players of all ages.

“I’m hoping as many people as possible pick up a racquet and use them over what remains of the summer holidays and over the coming years.

"You never know the new facilities might help produce the next Andy Murray or Serena Williams.” 

He noted that there is a mixture of free, concessionary cost and full paid bookings available online to make the sport as accessible as possible.

Dean added: “We’ve done the improvement work in stages so people have always had a court in the borough to play on.

"The good news is work to improve the courts at Dunwood Park is set to start in the next couple of weeks.

“The nets were originally removed in anticipation of this work starting but unfortunately it was delayed.

"We apologise if people have not been able to use them, but High Crompton Park is nearby and the courts there have already been upgraded.”

---

Do you have a story for us? Want to tell us about something going on in and around Oldham? Let us know by emailing news@oldham-chronicle.co.uk , calling our Oldham-based newsroom on 0161 633 2121 , tweeting us @oldhamchronicle or messaging us through our Facebook page. All contact will be treated in confidence.