A little over a year after the first sod was turned on the site, Bathurst Tennis Centre's new clubhouse was officially opened yesterday, with the new facility set to bolster the capabilities for large-scale tournaments.
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The $800,000 facility was unveiled by Member for Bathurst Paul Toole and mayor Graeme Hanger, along with members of the Bathurst Carillon City Tennis Club.
Mr Toole said the state-of-the-art facility will allow Bathurst's tennis fraternity to grow for decades to come.
"The old site served the community for a long period of time, but now we've got a modern facility with a larger pro shop, an expanded meeting space and a grand verandah overlooking the entire complex," he said.
"Sport in regional NSW is critical to local economies and when you have up-to-date facilities, it widens the avenue for attracting major sporting events."
Mr Hanger said the new facility was a fitting tribute to former Bathurst mayor John Matthews [1965-1976], the namesake of the neighbouring sporting complex encompassing the tennis and netball courts.
"The Bathurst Carillon City Tennis Club has worked really hard to get the new venue off the ground and they now have the opportunity to enjoy a beautiful new facility," he said.
"Tennis has been a popular sport in Bathurst for many years, and a Saturday afternoon hit has been a long-standing community tradition."
Bathurst Carillon City Tennis Club president Tracey Tullier said the new venue has delivered a more comfortable environment for the club's 400-plus members.
"In addition to the expanded space for larger tournaments, we now have the room to host community functions and meetings, which provides us with more fundraising opportunities," Ms Tullier said.
Ms Tullier said the venue will increase the potential to host elite tennis stars.
"We have Sam Groth coming in a few weeks to host a tennis clinic, which wouldn't have come together without the new venue," she said.