Cllr Tony Higgins and LiveWire’s Emma Hutchinson and Vicki Dunning at the new courts.
FOUR brand new outdoor tennis courts are set to open this weekend as part of the £16 million project to transform Great Sankey Leisure Centre into a neighbourhood hub.
It’s the first element of the project, which will provide integrated leisure, health, library and culture services in one facility, to be completed.
The courts have been built thanks to £160,000 funding from the Lawn Tennis Association and are set to provide a full programme of tennis all year round.
Cllr Tony Higgins, LEAD member for leisure, community and culture at Warrington Borough Council, said: “We’re hoping to see lots of mini-Murrays and wannabe-Williams-sisters at these courts this summer – and for years to come.
“It’s so important for both physical and mental health for people to be active and Warrington has
many great facilities for our residents to enjoy taking part in all kinds of sport.”
Emma Hutchinson, managing director of LiveWire, said: “We are proud to be opening the new courts at Great Sankey during one of the busiest times in the tennis calendar with Wimbledon just finished and players and fans gearing up for the US Open next month.
“We hope that by providing another dedicated tennis facility in the town we’ll be able to grow the tennis community that has already been developed in Warrington thanks to the programme at Birchwood Leisure and Tennis Centre.”
To mark the opening, LiveWire is holding a local tennis tournament this weekend for year one and two school children.
The Wimbledon Roadshow will see schools from across Warrington who have been taking part in tennis taster sessions this week compete on the new courts.
Work is well underway on the rest of the Great Sankey Neighbourhood Hub project with contractors currently upgrading the current sand-based football pitch to a state-of-the-art 3G pitch.
Construction on the main building to add a glass frontage, upgrade the existing swimming pools and fitness suite, and to dramatically transform its layout will start at the beginning of August.
The new neighbourhood hub is set to open late next year and will also contain a library learning zone, refurbished sports hall, two new dance studios, virtual spin station, café, conference room, spa, health and pharmacy facilities, a trim trail and an outdoor rig.
Nicki Harrison, regional tennis participation manager at the Lawn Tennis Association, said: “The LTA is pleased to be investing in a facility that will get more people playing and enjoying tennis from the local community.
“The new courts and floodlights will provide a positive experience throughout the year for the customer and hopefully will motivate people to get on court with family and friends.
“It is exciting that this project will also be supported by a community tennis coach who will provide a programme of activities for all ages and abilities to have fun and enjoy tennis.”
