New courts for Takapau Tennis Club

Junior champions Ben White and Brieleigh Welch hold the ribbon for club captain David Poulton to cut to open the new courts.

After years of planning and fundraising, the Takapau Tennis Club has officially opened two new concrete courts.

As well as its three astro and six grass courts, the club has been using the town's former bowling green for two spare grass courts for more than a decade. But after wandering cattle destroyed the surface, the club voted to develop the area into painted concrete courts servicing both tennis and netball.

President Marty Smith said the project was a success because of three groups of people: the cattle scheme members, the contractors and the funding partners.

The $140,000 project has seen more than half the funds donated by the club, plus grants from Grassroots Trust Central (previously known as Infinity) with support from Kerry, John and Crystal Lorck, the Eastern & Central Community Trust, New Zealand Community Trust, Centralines and the Rangahua Trust (Richard Jeffery).

"Those donations made this dream a reality. Without their support, there's no way we would have got this off the ground."

A large portion of the funds was raised by the club's cattle scheme, which is supported by farmers from around the district, and not all of them tennis players, Smith said.

"A massive, massive thank you to them. Your generosity and support are greatly appreciated and we don't take that for granted. It's amazing to have this quality facility available for the community and the school in Takapau."

A huge effort has been put in by contractors, many of whom attended the official opening at the club's Christmas party on December 17: Drummond Contractors, Adam Construction, Prenters Ready-Mix, K & S Concrete, Smith Sawing and Drilling, Taylor-Made Gates, Central Mobile Engineering — Sam Barry, Kilmister Fencing, Baldwin & Co, Hire It CHB — Jared Posthumus, and Centre Court Surfaces, as well as the Takapau Lions Club.

Cutting the ribbon, patron David Poulton congratulated the club committee for having the vision and the tenacity to see the programme through from inception to the first games played on the new surface.