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New Pickleball Courts are now open!
'A long, hard slog': Lavington pickleball club unveils six brand-new courts
It took a dedicated bunch and a four-year "slog" to get there, but Lavington's sporting landscape has officially changed.
The Lavington Tennis and Pickleball Club celebrated a grand reopening, showing off six sleek new hard courts designed to keep up with one of the Border's fastest-growing sports.
The project was delivered with more than $245,000 in funding through the NSW Government’s Infrastructure Grant Program, along with a further $11,000 from the Community Building Partnership program to support the purchase of equipment.
Lavington Tennis and Pickleball Club president Shiralee Allen said the club's decision to upgrade was based on its decreasing tennis numbers and increasing pickleball numbers.
Ms Allen said it had been "a long, hard slog getting the funding for new courts", with club secretary Leanne Hewett applying for grants for more than four years, often multiple times a year.
Construction began on February 2, and was finished by April 21, bringing the club's total pickleball courts to six and two remaining tennis ones.
Since the club's relocation to the corner of Urana and McDonald Road in the 1950s, the courts have gone from clay, to synthetic grass and now the hard, purpose-built and tournament-ready surfaces.
Pickleball Association NSW president Garry Sheffield said the courts would be the envy of a lot of bigger clubs in the state.
As for why the club's tennis numbers were seesawing down in favour of pickleball, Ms Allen said "the short, sharp games" make it easier for those with injuries to get involved.
"Gameplay is usually about 10 to 15 minutes, which is nice especially for those who run out of energy very quickly," she said.
"So it gives them time to have that burst of energy, have a bit of a rest, then they can go back on if they feel like it.
"With our open plays, we have all levels - from beginners, right through to advanced players - and everybody just mixes so well together.
"It doesn't matter whether you win or lose, everybody seems to come off the court laughing and smiling and having a good time."
On Sunday, April 26, for opening day, Ms Allen said the club "didn't know what to expect", and certainly did not anticipate a turnout of more than 200, calling it "a great day".
Albury councillor Geoff Hudson attended the opening and commended Ms Allen, Ms Hewett and the club "in reimagining these courts to meet the evolving needs of our community".
"They've created a welcoming and accessible space for people of all ages and abilities," he said.
"Physical activity and social connection are critical to our community's wellbeing, and with pickleball's rapid growth in popularity, I am sure the new courts will play an important role in getting more people active and connected."
The official opening was also attended by Pickleball Australia chief executive Brendan Lee and Pickleball NSW president Garry Sheffield.
"It has become more than a sport, to the extent it is a community movement for social interaction and engagement with the flow on benefits of physical and mental wellbeing with multigenerational engagement, from eight to 80-plus."
As one of the only Pickleball Association-affiliated clubs on the Border, Ms Allen said its members would have access to play in tournaments across Australia and receive discounts on goods through the association.
On the Victoria side, the Beechworth Pickleball Club is the nearest affiliated venue.
Ms Hewett said while the new courts were a huge step forward, upgrading the clubhouse would be the next important step.
"Better facilities would help us welcome more players and put us in a stronger position to host larger tournaments that could bring visitors to the region," she said.
"The committee will keep working with Albury City Council and our local community as we grow participation and build the case for a modern clubhouse that the area can be proud of."
"We desperately need to replace our asbestos-filled, not-fit-for-purpose club room with a modern facility that includes all-ability access and toilets with change rooms that reflect positively on the area," Ms Allen said.
Pictured: Geoff McLure, Leonard Peady, Shiralee Allen (President), Garry Sheffield (President PANSW), Leanne Hewett (Secretary), Geoff Hudson (Councillor), and Brendan Lee (PA Executive Officer)
A huge thank you and shoutout to Devlin Azzie, Threefold Studio, for being our amazing photographer for the Grand Opening. The images are absolutely amazing and captured the excitement of the day. - Regards, Shiralee Club President.
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