Election promise serves up $250,000 for tennis club

Ribbon cuttings are usually reserved for the end of a project but this time it was to celebrate the start.

Locals gathered at Brunswick Tennis Club last week to cut the ribbon to celebrate the recommencing of works on the courts.

The courts have sat vacant and full of rubble for over a year after the club began working in November 2023 to upgrade the courts.

Following a gruelling back and forth with the Shire of Harvey, the community was ecstatic to have things back on track in February and have been thrilled to see bulldozers lifting the rubble and works getting under way.

To celebrate the resumption of works, the club invited the community, shire officials, former Forrest MP Nola Marino and Forrest Liberal candidate Ben Small to the event, where Mr Small announced a commitment of a $250,000 to see the courts completed.

Mr Small said the Federal Liberal team had heard the story of the Brunswick Tennis Club and were willing to help.

“To hear that there’s 80 juniors in the Brunswick Tennis Club raring to go but just in need of a club and a facility that can help this community come together, Peter Dutton is very pleased to back this club with $250,000 to get the LED lights that will suit the court upgrades,” he said.

“So, let’s hope that we get a Liberal government back in this country and get back on track.”

Brunswick Tennis Club president Julianne Hill said the announcement was really exciting and the pledge will allow them to install the LED lighting and complete the long-held dream.

“That really opens up a lot of possibilities for the use of our courts,” she said.

Club secretary from 1960 to 1962, Judy Talbot, said the development has been absolutely “fabulous”

“My hat off to these five women that have battled and battled to get this done,” she said.

“The day we can play tennis here again will be the best day in Brunswick.”