Brand new Corporation Park tennis courts are ready for a racket!

Three tennis courts at Blackburn’s Corporation Park are due to open shortly after an impressive £65,000 investment.

The project is part of a £30million nationwide investment by the UK Government and the Lawn Tennis Association (LTA) Tennis Foundation, delivered by the LTA, to refurbish public tennis courts across Great Britain, and open up the sport to many more people.

Thousands of existing park tennis courts in poor or unplayable conditions are being brought back to life for the benefit of communities across the country through renovation works, improved court accessibility and better booking systems, providing vital opportunities for children and adults to get active.

Over 3,000 courts have been completed, with three of those at Corporation Park in Blackburn. They have undergone extensive work to ensure viability for years to come, including resurfacing, repainting, new nets and the introduction of a new gate system.

In addition to the investment of £42,584 from the UK Government and LTA Tennis Foundation, £23,403 has also been invested by Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council.

Alongside the investment, the council and the newly appointed parks tennis operator, We Do Tennis will work with the LTA to deliver a range of activities for all.

Free tennis sessions will be on offer weekly, through ‘Barclays Free Park Tennis’, open to all ages, playing levels and experience. Equipment will also be provided, meaning that people will not need to bring their own racket.

Local Tennis Leagues will be setup too, which will provide friendly and sociable opportunities to get active through local competition.

Accessible facilities in parks are particularly critical to opening up the sport to those from lower socioeconomic backgrounds and women and girls.

Andy Moss, Head of Parks at We Do Tennis said:

We Do Tennis’ is a not-for-profit organisation focused on improving, growing, and securing the future of tennis at all levels.

We are extremely excited to be working with Blackburn & Darwen Borough Council and the residents of the local area to provide a first-class tennis offering.

Improving the facilities is a great first step and our role is to activate tennis in the area and get lots of happy people with a racket in their hand.

Scott Lloyd, LTA Chief Executive, said:

We’re delighted to see the park tennis courts at Corporation Park officially re-open to the public, and in better shape than ever.

Park tennis courts are vital for providing people with opportunities to pick up a racket, and we want as many people as possible, of all ages, abilities and backgrounds, to enjoy playing tennis and being active. Thanks to this investment the sport will be opened up to more players, for years to come.

Councillor Jim Smith, Executive Member for Environment and Communities at Blackburn with Darwen borough council said:

Having access to high quality sporting facilities in the borough is absolutely crucial for children and adults alike.

I’m over the moon to see these tennis courts totally revamped and hope that residents will be encouraged to take up tennis as a new hobby, making use of the new courts.

The tennis courts are now officially open. They have gate access technology which means it will be easier to get on court by booking in advance to guarantee availability.

You can visit the LTA website to book your spot, at a small cost, to ensure that the courts are maintained at their new high standard for years to come.

 

For LTA media enquiries please contact:  

Media@lta.org.uk 

ABOUT THE LTA:

The LTA is the National Governing Body of tennis and padel in Great Britain, governing and growing the sport from grassroots participation through to the professional game. Our vision is to open up tennis and padel, harnessing them and working with schools, volunteers, coaches and venues across the whole country to transform communities. We also represent the interests of over 2,000,000 Members, playing on more than 23,000 courts. The LTA runs and supports a network of 11,500 approved tournaments for players of all ages, the main cornerstones of which are the LTA’s premier grass-court tennis events at The Queen’s Club, Nottingham and Eastbourne, leading up to The Championships, Wimbledon. For further information about the LTA and tennis and padel in Britain, visit www.lta.org.uk or follow us on X, Instagram, Facebook, Tik Tok, and LinkedIn.