Courts’ full serve

By Kelly Yates
CASEY tennis enthusiasts perfected their serves last week at the opening of the new $1.34 million Narre Warren South Tennis Club.
With 19 tennis clubs running in the City of Casey, the Narre Warren South Tennis Club offers six new synthetic clay court and a pavilion with a tournament and coach’s office, a canteen, a multi-purpose function room, and change rooms plus toilets and storage.
The tennis club is the latest addition to the larger multi-use Narre Warren South Sports precinct which includes playing fields for soccer, cricket and AFL.
Narre Warren South MP Judith Graley opened the new facility, which is located next to Narre Warren South P-12 College, on behalf of Sport and Recreation Minister James Merlino at the twilight celebrations last Friday.
“Victorians love their sport and our local sports clubs play an integral role in ensuring communities are strong, happy, healthy and active,” Ms Graley said.
“Local sporting clubs and their facilities are the lifeblood of our communities and I have no doubt this facility will become a valuable resource where people can meet, forge friendships, and keep active.
“I encourage everyone in this growing community to sign up to the new club,” she said.
Casey mayor Lorraine Wreford and councillors Amanda Stapledon and Wayne Smith were also at the event.
Cr Wreford said it was exciting to witness the birth of a new tennis club made up of a committee of local residents who were passionate about providing opportunities within their community.
“Community members have been heavily involved in the development of the physical facilities as well as the formation of the club itself, since the first interest group was formed around 12 months ago,” she said.
The City of Casey provided $1 million to the project and the State Government contributed $347,000 to the project through Sport and Recreation Victoria’s Community Facility Funding Program.
Since 2000, the Victorian Government has invested more than $192 million through the Community Facilities Funding Program towards more than 2000 community facility projects across Victoria.