Work starts to upgrade five Calderdale tennis courts as part of Lawn Tennis Association refurbishment project

Calderdale Council is working with the Lawn Tennis Association (LTA) who are delivering the upgrades as part of a £230,948 investment.

The cash is made up of more than £166,000 from its UK Government and LTA Tennis Foundation funded Park Tennis Project, and remaining funds are being provided by the council and through the Todmorden Town Deal fund.

Calderdale Council’s cabinet member for Public Service and Communities, Coun Jenny Lynn (Lab, Park), said external grants allowed the council to maximise opportunities for improvements across the borough.

“The improvements will provide more opportunities to get involved in tennis and open up the sport for more people,” she said.

"The work also complements our wider Active Calderdale project to support people across the borough to be more active, more often,” she said.

The five parks which are benefitting are Centre Vale in Todmorden, Crow Wood Park in Sowerby Bridge, Holmfield Recreation Ground in Halifax, Mill Fold Recreation Ground in Ripponden and Shelf Park.

Work has started at Centre Vale Park, Shelf and Crow Wood Park, and will soon begin at Mill Fold Recreation Ground and Holmfield, including some resurfacing, replacement of nets and posts and repainting.

Each site will also have new fencing with gate access technology installed to improve booking access and security.

The council is also working alongside Todmorden Town Council to look at further improvements at Centre Vale Park courts, including floodlighting.

This additional enhancement would form part of the planned improvements at the park as part of the Town Deal investment programme for Todmorden.

Coun Lynn said: “Work is underway now and will continue over the next few months, with the courts ready for action in time for the spring and summer season.”

Calderdale Council will also working with the LTA to deliver a range of activities across all the park sites, including weekly organised free tennis sessions for all ages, playing levels and experience, where equipment is provided.

If you have a story to share, you can contact our reporting team at [email protected].