The owner, Drago Elez, said the club had undergone a number of upgrades throughout the years, however, the club still needed further upgrades and financial assistance to keep it running.
Essentially, Elez wants to keep the club running as a space of recreation and leisure for the residents and their children. “We have been in communication with the City of Johannesburg to get more courts built and to extend the space,” he said.
The club is situated in a park on the corner of Ballyclare and Outspan roads, and member of the club, Barbara Klopper, said the premises had been very well maintained by Elez and his committee.
Elez and the club’s committee has been attempting to obtain a renewal of their lease over the past two years and are still in the process.
Klopper explained, “The rental will jump astronomically when the new lease is signed, and we will need to attract many more members if we are to continue to keep our lovely club running.”
Elez said, “One of our aims at the club is to promote sport education and development of the youth.”
“We want to make sure that the kids in the community turn away from drugs and alcohol and choose sport.”
The club also donates tennis equipment to surrounding underprivileged communities such as Alexandra where, he said, youngsters have shown great interest in tennis.
Paddle tennis, a type of tennis played on a small court with a sponge-rubber ball and wooden or plastic bat, is something else Elez wants to introduce to the club. “Paddle tennis is famous in America and Europe and I want to build up the sport here in South Africa,” he said.
“I see the kids here have a lot of potential and I want the opportunity to teach them.”
Details: 074 333 0344 or Drago.else@gmail.com
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