Further Development of Playing Facilities at Nenagh Tennis Club
Nenagh Lawn Tennis Club, which by many yardsticks has become one of Munster’s and indeed Ireland’s pre-eminent rural tennis clubs, has this week commenced a further €200,000 development project.
The contractors have moved in, and work has commenced on the laying of two new synthetic clay courts and two new children’s courts.
The new full-sized courts, which are being laid at the upper end of the club grounds, on the area of the current mini-courts, mark a new departure in synthetic courts in that they’re synthetic clay courts and as such will offer a new experience for users. Both courts will be floodlit and will be lined to facilitate children’s play during the day and full court adult play in the evenings after 8.00pm.
Alongside, a new children’s ‘red ball’ synthetic grass courts will be laid on the existing children’s courts which commemorate the late Declan Purcell. ‘Red Ball’ tennis is for children under the ages of six or seven where special red foam or felt balls which have lower bounce and move more slowly through the air are used, giving participants more time to hit the ball and where the focus is on developing agility, balance, co-ordination, etc., essentially developing the fundamentals of tennis.
In addition, the club is erecting a covered viewing area at the upper end of the grounds which will make viewing tennis more comfortable in inclement weather. The game may be called lawn tennis but long gone are the days when rain immediately stops play in most Irish tennis clubs.
The new courts will bring the number of courts at the club to ten and will offer easier availability of playing facilities to the ever-increasing numbers, both young and old, playing tennis.
Funding for the new development will come from a National Lottery Grant, club savings and the club’s current 50/50 monthly funding raising draw. Those wishing to be part of this draw can google “Nenagh LTC 5050 Draw”.
The latest development work follows a remarkable number of years of progress in terms of development of facilities and playing numbers at the club, during which the club installed new floodlit courts, replaced the old floodlights with a new energy saving system, added extensive parking facilities and latterly enhanced the changing/shower facilities in the clubhouse.