Big step forward for major Tennis Club upgrade
Westmeath County Council has agreed to lease 1.45 acres of land to Athlone Tennis Club for the next 50 years at a nominal rent of €100 per year, a move which allows the sporting organisation to make the site in front of Athlone Regional Sports Centre their new home with six full-size tennis courts and a clubhouse among the impressive facilities earmarked.
Members voted in favour of the long-term lease of the holding at Cloghanboy, Athlone, adjacent to Athlone Regional Sports Centre at the January meeting of the local authority recently.
“The council has been engaging with the club for a number of years to assist in the establishment of a permanent premises, including courts and a clubhouse. An appropriate site was identified adjacent to Athlone Regional Sports Centre,” the council documents recommending the disposal of the land stated, adding that it has been a “long-standing objective of Westmeath County Council to develop further sporting facilities at this location, leading to the development over time of regional scale sporting campus.”
Athlone Tennis Club got planning approval last year for new state-of-the-art facilities in a brand new home in front of the car park beside Athlone Regional Sports Centre which would see them move a short distance from their current base in Athlone GAA Club.
What's planned is six International Tennis Federation (ITF) tennis courts with a pavilion alongside to view matches, two mini courts, practice wall, a new clubhouse with toilets and changing facilities and a rooftop terrace viewing area, lighting and a play area at Ballymahon Road.
A notable feature of the innovative design is a pavilion between the three sets of courts looking down (at the matches), and a rooftop terrace on the clubhouse which will be built in such a way that it could go higher at a later date.
While a full figure for the cost has no been available to date, the project is expected to cost several hundred thousand euro with some of that met by Leader funding and the remainder in local fundraising.
The club previously said they hope construction will begin in the first half of 2020, possibly in March.