Outrage at tennis club’s fees as courts overgrown and unplayable

Members of this tennis club are dismayed as only half the courts are playable, overgrown with weeds and even missing a net — yet they’re still paying premium fees. But there’s hope on the horizon, says the club.

Chelsworth Park Tennis Club courts are deemed "unplayable" by members and are overgrown.

Chelsworth Park Tennis Club members have hit out at the high cost of their membership fees considering half the courts are unplayable.

Two of the four en tout cas (red clay) courts are overgrown with weeds, with uneven ground and insufficient lighting. One court is even missing a net.

Maree Trentin cancelled her membership of more than a decade due to the gradual deterioration of the facilities.

“The fact that the fees now charged by the club are among the most expensive in the local area for access to only two playable courts is breathtaking,” Mrs Trentin said.

A family membership to Chelsworth Park costs $350 a year.

Eaglemont Tennis Clubs’ family membership fee is $340 annually, with 10 courts available.

Ivanhoe Tennis Clubs’ family membership is $225, with five courts able to be used.

Chelsworth Park secretary Peter Robinson said the courts were in a redevelopment phase.

He said the club was waiting for funding from Banyule Council for a full upgrade of the courts and was hopeful they would make the change from en tout cas clay to artificial grass.

“We don’t want to put money into it right now because it will be renovated soon,” he said.

“The community will get four new courts and we’re in talks with council. Two of the courts will be fully upgraded.”

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Banyule Mayor Wayne Phillips said the council had allocated $50,000 in the 2019/2020 budget to upgrade the facility, dependant on the finalisation of the Ivanhoe Sporting Precinct Plan.

“We are aware of the poor condition of the courts and are disheartened by the impact this has had on membership at the club,” Cr Phillips said.

The council paid $16,000 for tree root barriers to be installed around all of courts in March, as damage was starting to show on the remaining two courts.