A partnership between Ealing Council and the LTA has been established to rejuvenate the tennis courts in local parks throughout the borough.

The LTA (Lawn Tennis Association) will be implementing the Park Tennis Project, a joint initiative between the UK Government and LTA Tennis Foundation, with a total investment of £323,772 to improve the public parks in Ealing.

Seven public park tennis courts in Ealing will undergo refurbishment with the goal of making the sport more accessible to people from all backgrounds.

---

The project will not only renovate existing park tennis courts, but also improve their accessibility through new gate-access technology and booking systems.

This effort is expected to provide significant physical and mental health benefits to participants, especially to those from lower socioeconomic backgrounds and women and girls.

Ealing Council will invest an additional £70,000 to supplement the £253,772 funding from the UK Government and LTA Tennis Foundation for the improvement of public parks in the borough.

The council will collaborate with the LTA to implement various activities across the park sites. There will be free weekly park tennis sessions for all ages and playing levels, where equipment will be provided, eliminating the need for participants to bring their own racket or playing partner. The initiative will offer friendly and sociable opportunities for local competition through the Local Tennis Leagues.

---

The park venues to be renovated are:

• Spikes Bridge Park
• Wolf Fields
• Churchfield Recreation Ground
• Elthorne Park
• Ravenor Park
• Southfields Recreation Ground

Additionally, North Acton Playing Fields will be available for online booking through the LTA website, making it more convenient for people to find and reserve a court or participate in an activity.

Booking for all courts and sessions across all sites will be made available online through the LTA website.

The renovation work on the sites commenced in February 2023 and is expected to conclude by the summer.

Councillor Jasbir Anand, Ealing Council cabinet member for thriving communities said: "I am very pleased that we are working with the LTA to deliver much needed improved tennis facilities and a range of organised free park tennis sessions for all ages, playing levels and experience with equipment provided, that everyone can access."

Julie Porter, Chief Operating Officer at the LTA, said: "We are delighted to be working with Ealing Council to improve their park tennis facilities and provide more opportunities for anyone to pick up a racket and get active."

"This investment is part of the UK Government and LTA’s Parks Tennis Project, and will mean that courts will be available for people to use for years to come. We will also be working closely with Ealing Council to ensure that the local community have a range of accessible opportunities to get on court, and open up our sport to many more people."

The LTA (Lawn Tennis Association) is the National Governing Body of tennis for Great Britain.

Angela Fonso, a local resident commented "It is disappointing that Southall Park and Southall Recreation Ground are excluded from refurbishment as these locations had tennis courts. I don't recollect seeing a survey about this initiative."