President’s report
Greetings,
Welcome to 2018!
It promises to be a busy Year for HE Parker tennis club with the long-awaited bathroom renovations beginning on March the 5th. There have been a few negotiations with council which have seen the addition of the pergola at the entrance to the clubhouse being built at the same time by the same builder. This will mean a reduction in construction time but an increase in inconvenience during the works which are expected to take 3½ - 4 months.
The first important date to note will be Tuesday 6th where ALL access to the clubhouse will be blocked during the day as Asbestos cladding inside the bathrooms will be being removed. After this our access to the courts and club house will be limited to access through the gate on court 2 and 3, then through to courts 4 & 5 and then in through the double doors facing courts 4&5. (Remember to let your visiting teams know in advance or meet them and escort them onto the premises.) Temporary walls will be erected inside the club rooms allowing work to begin on East facing wall and the area where the new door into the bathroom area is to be constructed. So, we will have a smaller kitchen area and the fridge will be relocated. Access to the light box, alarm cupboard in the club will be maintained as usual.
There will be a portable toilet block (2) on site near the carpark which will be plumbed in (YEAY) for use the whole time. Access for coaching and the Shed will be through the gate between court 5 and 6.
Remember when entering the facility to be mindful and considerate of games in play and also to keep out of the way of the builders. They will have a much more difficult work site than they are used to because we need to continue our use of the Facility. Please make it as easy and SAFE as possible for them to do their job and remember to Prohibit any children from entering the work site.
Thanks to everyone for being patient and flexible. It should be well worth the Wait.
Our Club’s Head Coach, Ben, has been travelling around and competing on the ITF Seniors Circuit since June last year. He has won 2 titles in the Over 35’s Doubles category and come runners up in the other 3 tournaments he’s entered. Latest ITF Rankings see him ranked a career-high #10 for Doubles and #92 for Singles, worldwide. Ben considers himself a bit of a “doubles specialist” and his aim is to be selected to represent Australia in the upcoming World Team Championships in Miami, Florida. He has the Oceania Regional Championships to play at Kooyong next month and we wish him all the best in his endeavours. You can track his progress at www.itftennis.com.
Ben sent 28 Hot Shots kids to the Australian Open in January. Again, it was a great experience and all reports from coaches and parents was positive.
Sue Moreland, Happy Hitting!