Tennis courts reopen after works
THE tennis courts at Romilly Park in Barry have reopened following major improvement works.
In a joint project between the Vale of Glamorgan council, Tennis Wales and Sport Wales, the courts have a new gate access system using ClubSpark, which allows people to search, book and pay for courts online.
The new system means there is no need to wait for or face the uncertainty of a court being available to play while also creating a safe space for people to play and deterring court vandalism.
The Vale of Glamorgan council has always set charges for the use of its tennis courts but has not collected fees for a number of years as it has not been economic to do so.
The courts will operate on a nonprofit basis, with money reinvested into maintenance and any surplus used to fund tennis activity in Romilly Park and the wider Vale of Glamorgan.
While there will be a charge to book a court, no membership or priority system will be in place. Regular users have the option to buy an annual family pass, or student pass, which offers a low one-off fee for 12 months of play.
Throughout the year, there will also be regular opportunities to play tennis for free and Tennis Wales intends to carry out community engagement activities to encourage more people to take up the sport.
An extensive coaching programme will also operate from the courts courtesy of Vale Tennis Academy, which will offer a range of sessions for all ages and abilities encouraging people to people to play and socialise.
James Clewer, head of participation at Tennis Wales, said: “We are committed to opening up tennis and making the sport accessible to all.
“The refurbishment of park tennis courts, such as these great facilities at Romilly Park, are key to meeting this aim. We look forward to seeing these courts used by the local community for many years to come.”