Courts packed all day as Telford tennis centre officially opens
Special guest Greg Rusedski served a thunderbolt to officially open the new Telford Tennis Centre – and then the eight courts were packed with members of the public using the centre’s superb facilities for hours afterwards.
The official opening of the £2.2m facility at the Oakengates Leisure Centre site was a huge success with schools, tennis clubs and people from across the county taking advantage of the free indoor and outdoor courts for the rest of the day.
Greg Rusedski unveiled an official plaque and invited guests heard speeches from Councillor Arnold England, Telford & Wrekin Council’s cabinet member for Leisure and Wellbeing, and Roger Draper, chief executive of the Lawn Tennis Association.
The four indoor and four outdoor courts were full of activity during the event, including local schools taking part in mini red and cardio tennis as well as wheelchair tennis.
Shropshire’s number one under 16 tennis player, Kyle Fellows, was in attendance as well as the world’s number 9 wheelchair tennis player, Jordanne Whiley.
Crowds were entertained by the Lord Silkin School Steel Band, students from Sutherland Business and Enterprise College and the event was also attended by borough mayor Councillor Malcolm Smith and mayoress Christine Smith.
Greg Rusedski told the assembled crowds as he unveiled the plaque: “This is a fantastic facility and it is great to see so many people here and different organisations working together to make this a reality.
“It is a big honour to be asked to open this site and I hope that the success of this is followed up with Andy Murray matching it by winning Wimbledon.”
The new tennis centre at Oakengates Leisure Centre has four indoor and four outdoor floodlit courts as well as a coaching and competition programme provided by FirstPoint Tennis Coaching .
The centre has been funded by a partnership between Telford & Wrekin Council, the Lawn Tennis Association and the Department of Education through Partnership for Schools.
There is a racquet shop with retail and stringing services through FirstPoint Retail and meeting rooms available to hire.
For more information or to book a court at the Telford Tennis Centre contact 01952 382810 or visit www.telford.gov.uk. Details of the coaching programme can be obtained from FirstPoint Tennis on 07590 572454.
The Oakengates Leisure Centre site also has a swimming pool, Aspirations fitness suite, a sports hall, football pitches, floodlit artificial pitch and an athletics track as well as changing facilities.
