Game, Set+ Match

Could Ealing ever produce a Wimbledon champ?

Visitors to Pitshanger Park will soon be able to enjoy a thriving community tennis and sports centre.

Will to Win already runs tennis and five-a-side football facilities in Lammas Park and has now started work on turning Pitshanger Park into a sporting hub for local residents and visitors.

When the transformation is complete, it will boast eight tennis courts (four floodlit), a multi-use games area and a renovated cafe, changing room and toilets.

The tennis courts are ready for play now and a full programme of coaching for children and adults have already started - ready for the summer. The upgrade of the cafe and changing facilities are underway and are on target to be completed within a year.

Will to Win is committed to providing accessible, affordable tennis for everyone in the community, whatever their age or ability. It is now the largest private provider of public tennis facilities in London and, as well as its two sites in Ealing, also runs community sports centres at Regents Park, Hyde Park, Greenwich Park, Chiswick Park and from 1 April will run tennis programmes in parks and commons in the London boroughs of Richmond and Wandsworth.

“We’re delighted that we’re able to restore these once derelict community facilities back to their former glory,” said Steve Riley, Director of Will to Win. “We want to develop a centre which, like Lammas Park, is sympathetic to the local environment and which enables local people to be active and enjoy sport in an affordable way. We’ve had great support from the Lawn Tennis Association in developing Pitshanger Park and we look forward to creating something really special for residents and park users.”

Leader of Ealing Council, Councillor Julian Bell, said: “The tennis centre at Pitshanger Park is set to be another first-class sporting facility for the borough. I hope it will encourage more people to get involved in grassroots sport and continue to live out the legacy of the Olympic and Paralympic games.

“I also hope the centre will help to develop another Fred Perry who played tennis at the nearby Brentham Club in Pitshanger.”

26th May 2013