The Pines Tennis Club in Chisholm, with the support of Tennis ACT has submitted an expression of interest to gain ownership of the property which currently surrounds the existing club premises. The purpose of this is to expand the club facility to accommodate the unmet demand for tennis facilities in the southern part of Tuggeranong.

When the club was initially established in 1986, only four of the planned eight courts were constructed, with the area immediately south of the existing footprint levelled in anticipation of future expansion and included in the surrounding Block 9 section 567. Working closely with Tennis ACT, The Pines Tennis Club has been developing these expansion plans, and in 2023 managed to secure a grant from ACT Sport and Recreation to undertake a feasibility study and draft plans for the area. These plans have been used as the basis of the expression of interest to expand the club.

“The Pines has a thriving social, competitive, and coaching offering, all of which are seriously curtailed by the lack of courts which would make expansion of the offering possible.” said the Pines Club President, Graeme Barnes. “Our vision is one that breaks through the barriers of our current limitations, with new hard courts and pickleball and hot shots facilities allowing the club to further support the local community within Tuggeranong, enabling greater inclusion through activities such as wheelchair tennis, and smaller formats of racquet sports such as pickleball and pop tennis for those who may not be able to play full size tennis.”

Tennis ACT CEO, Mark La Brooy, is fully supportive of the direction the club is going. “The expansion of the club in this specific location, given the proximity to the existing club premises makes perfect sense and will go a long way to securing a future for tennis in Tuggeranong. If this site isn’t realised, there will not likely be another chance for an 8-court venue in the region.” La Brooy reiterated the importance of the venue for the community saying “Tennis is a sport that supports people aged 3 to 93 and beyond. The club committee at the Pines has developed a vibrant and thriving tennis community in conjunction with a brilliant head coach in Robert Jamieson, who was the ACT’s Club Coach of the Year for 2024. Expanding to an 8-court facility supports the Tennis ACT vision of having larger regional hub venues across the ACT and Region, which we know improves the sustainability of the venue and the health and wellbeing of the whole community.”

Through the ongoing work of a wonderful committee of volunteers, alongside a committed and professional head coach, the expansion of the Pines Tennis Club to 8 courts along with new initiatives such as wheelchair tennis, pickleball and pop tennis, will surely mean that tennis continues to be a smash hit for the Tuggeranong Valley community well into the future.