The community needs the tennis club

Editor: My name is Nora Olsen and I’m writing this letter on behalf of the members and users of the Twin Arbors tennis club. We are requesting that the land not be sold for residential housing purposes, and that it remains a facility for swimmers and tennis players.

Because the Lodi High School tennis courts are in such a state of disrepair, they are unsafe to play on, and the tennis teams will have to find a new practice facility. Many of Lodi’s older residents play on the senior tennis league, which helps them remain active and healthy. I know several students who went to college on swimming scholarships, and their foundation was built on swim team experiences that were provided by that facility.

Quiet frankly, Lodi has hot summers, and a safe place for people to bring their children to swim is a necessity in this climate. The city of Lodi prides itself on being a good town in which to raise families. However, if the recreational opportunities for kids and families are taken away, what is going to attract families and businesses to move to or remain in Lodi?

We as a town need to offer our citizens more than just housing (and dare I say it — wineries) in order to truly be a community.

I do not claim to have an easy answer, but perhaps the city can look into purchasing the land to keep it a municipal tennis and aquatics center, or see if there are private investors and members in the community willing to buy the property, as people did with the Elkhorn Golf and Country Club in Stockton.

Our town uses the motto “Livable, Lovable Lodi” to describe itself.

Let’s make sure we keep our recreational facilities available to the community so that it remains livable, lovable, and healthy for residents of all ages. NORA OLSEN Lodi