Featuring three indoor hard courts, the tennis centre is scheduled to open its doors in 2025 and will provide a base for the sport for Dumfries and Galloway and the many rural communities in the area. There is already a strong tennis infrastructure in the area with 11 registered clubs and close to 1000 playing members, and there will be a firm focus on growing participation among all ages and abilities through the new centre.
The £1.7million of funding from the Transforming Scottish Indoor Tennis fund operated by the LTA, LTA Tennis Foundation, sportscotland and Tennis Scotland, includes a £211,347 loan to Dumfries and Galloway Council. Alongside the loan, the council has also provided nearly £500,000 with the total cost of the project set to be £2,361,937.
The organisations involved put in a concerted effort to find additional funding to make the project a reality in a challenging financial climate, increased costs in the construction industry caused a rise in the total cost of the facility from original projections. Holywood Trust, a local charity which helps young people in the area, are making a significant contribution of £200,000.
Dumfries and Galloway Council Leader, Gail Macgregor said:
“I’m delighted to see this project moving forward. Our Council has committed half a million pounds towards the costs and this clear commitment is a strong sign of the importance we place on this facility, and indeed of facilities of its nature. Having such an accessible facility in our largest town in the region will not only be excellent for local tennis players, but will attract people into the region, boosting the local economy. I look forward to seeing building works commence.”
Karen Ward Boyd, Director of The Holywood Trust:
“The Trust welcomes the development of an accessible indoor tennis facility within the region and is happy to contribute towards the cost of such a project, with the aim of providing an excellent facility for our local young people and the development of player pathways, saving young people from having to travel long distances to other centres across Scotland. We hope that the new tennis centre located at the King George V in Dumfries will help to inspire the wider community to take part in the sport and support talented players to achieve their ambition.”
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