The program is on the right track to reach its goal of 160 shorts in 30 infrastructures by 2029
Tennis Canada and Rogers have announced that the Rogers’s interior public short public program was back to offer subsidies to a new project group that will continue to improve tennis infrastructure in Canada.
This year, the projects are actually extending from one ocean to another, since St. John’s (Newfoundland and Labrador), Edmonton (Alberta) and Kelowna (British Columbia) will be the beneficiaries of the program, while a fourth project will be added to a later date. At the end of 2025, the number of courts completed and under construction within the framework of the interior public tennis court program will be more than halfway through the objective of erect 160 courts covered in 30 infrastructures by 2029.
The project of the Riverdale Tennis Club and Green Belt Tennis Club with the St. John’s Tennis Association represents an important joint commitment with Tennis Newfoundland and Labrador. Seven new courts covered will benefit the community, while the project will also stimulate the development of mass tennis in the region, the installation being called upon to become the official training center of the province. In addition, the Green Belt Tennis Club will be at the center of attention this summer, since it will be the Canada Games tennis site of 2025.
The agreement to create shorts a year at the IQ Tennis & Pickleball Center of Edmonton testifies to the continuous investment of the program in Alberta, where two previous projects – the Osten & Victor Alberta Tennis Center and the Saville Tennis Center of the University of Alberta – have emerged. In addition, the Kelowna project marks an important step for the program of interior public shorts, since it is the first project funded in British Columbia.
Each project, which will receive a $ 200,000 priming capital from Rogers, is expected to be completed this year. When they open their doors, these three projects will offer 18 new courts accessible all year round, which will affect around 1.6 million Canadians and offer 1,890 overtime hours of playing time per week. The details concerning the fourth project will be communicated in a timely manner.
Effects so far and future challenges
Since the creation of the program in 2022, Tennis Canada and Rogers have invested $ 3.2 million in priming funds, and these investments have continued to have significant benefits on the development of tennis in communities from across the country.
In 2024, two projects were completed in Ontario: those of the first Racquet Club in Mississauga, and the Niagara Falls Racquet Center in Niagara Falls. Thanks to these eight new interior land, nearly a million members of the communities were able to enjoy 800 overtime hours per week in winter.
Other projects should be inaugurated this year, notably that of The Courts at San Romanoway Operated by Philpott Children’s Tennis, in Toronto (ON); Thunder Bay Community Tennis Center (ON); From the West Island Tennis club to Ile-Bizard (QC) and the Municipality of Chatham-Kent (ON).
Canada has experienced impressive growth in participation in tennis, the country ranking second in the world for the percentage of its population practicing tennis (12.8 %), according to the Global Tennis Report 2024 of the International Tennis Federation (ITF). Despite the increase in the participation and the pool of players, accessibility to courts open all year round remains a challenge on a national scale. Efforts like the program of interior public shorts presented by Rogers help meet growing demand and remain essential to help Tennis Canada achieve its mission, which is to ensure the growth, development and promotion of tennis in Canada.
CITATIONS
“It is great to see this program continue to prosper while we are pursuing our goal of making tennis more accessible to Canadians from one ocean to another,” said Gavin Ziv, chief executive officer of Tennis Canada. This year, our portfolio includes three major projects which represent a significant investment in the infrastructure of Canadian tennis. We are also happy to start the work of our first project in British Columbia, an important step when we continue to prioritize the construction of a larger number of tennis courts covered in the country thanks to the acceleration of our capacity building efforts. We would like to thank our extraordinary partner, Rogers, for its unwavering support and for having provided the starting capital which makes this project possible. Finally, we warmly congratulate the municipalities and the partners operating clubs who have received funding. »»
“We are proud to see the program of interior public shorts gain momentum and make a real difference in communities from all over Canada,” said Tweddle, head of the brand’s management and communications at Rogers. By investing in these installations, we help a greater number of Canadians to remain active and practice this sport, and we are enthusiastic about seeing the scope of the program in the years to come. »»
More details on the ST. John’s Tennis Association
Municipality: St. John’s (Newfoundland and Labrador)
Number of short covers created by this project: 7
Number of Canadians targeted by this project: 240 000
Number of additional use hours per week: 735
“We are delighted to have received this funding within the framework of the interior public court program presented by Rogers,” says Jess Norris, director general of Tennis Newfoundland and Labrador. This important investment aimed at providing the Green Belt Tennis Club with a dome allowing to play all year round the lives of the tennis players of St. John’s and will have a lasting effect on the constantly increasing tennis community of Newfoundland and Labrador. We are preparing to host the tennis events for the next Canada Games, and we are impatient to receive Canadian athletes in our ultramodern facilities. »»
More details on the IQ Tennis & Pickleball Center – Edmonton
Municipality: Edmonton (Alberta)
Number of short covers created by this project: 6
Number of Canadians targeted by this project: 1,2 million
Number of additional use hours per week: 630
More details on the city of Kelowna
Municipality: Kelowna (British Columbia)
Number of short covers created by this project: 5
Number of Canadians targeted by this project: 166 000
Number of additional use hours per week: 525
