More than 2000 people have joined the campaign to "save" Wollongong Tennis Club, after Wollongong City Council said it would not renew the long-running Gwynneville institution's lease at the end of this year.
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In a letter to members last Thursday, the club told members that its lease over the clubhouse at Beaton Park would expire on December 31, due to a breakdown in negotiations with the council.
"It is with the utmost regret to inform you that despite the effort of the Wollongong City Tennis Club board and its management the Wollongong City Council has informed us that they will not extend our lease beyond the December 31," the newsletter said.
"Under the provisions of the current lease the club notified council that it intended to take the option of a further 10-year lease.
"The club was then informed in writing by council that we were in breach of the current lease citing "ongoing maintenance of the club" and that they would not be extending the lease beyond its expiry date."
The board said it had sought legal advice and "have continued to attempt further negotiation with the council to extend the lease, however at this stage council have been unwilling to negotiate any further with the club".
"Their only response is that they will not be providing the club with a new lease," the letter said.
"This is devastating news for all our staff, members, past members and visitors who frequent the Club and enjoy our facilities.
"If we cannot negotiate a new lease or extension of the current lease, then the club will close at the end of this year. The board are calling on the members to unite, support and assist the club to fight this decision."
By Saturday, more than 2000 people had signed a petition in support of the club, with many speaking of how it has been an "institution" of Gwynneville for decades.
Others who signed were concerned that that council's decision meant the building will be sold off and developed.
A council spokesperson said the council had "been working with the Club for some time to resolve a number of issues around its lease on the site".
"We have extended a further invitation to the Club to meet," the council said.
"As discussions are ongoing we will not make further comment at this time. However, we appreciate there will be concerns within the local tennis community about future access to the site.
"Tennis at the courts is not affected by this process. We want to assure our community the council's focus is on ensuring there is ongoing and uninterrupted provision of tennis from this site."
The Tennis Club board has invited members to a meeting this week to provide further information and answer questions of members, and discuss they plan to fight the council's decision.
In its 20 year master plan to overhaul Beaton Park, the council committed to renewing tennis courts and renovating or rebuilding the clubhouse.
According to the plan, endorsed in 2018, the existing clubhouse will be demolished as part of "stage 2" of the Beaton Park makeover, to allow for more flexibility in design of tennis courts. A new clubhouse facility will be incorporated into "stage 4" to align with other site improvements, such a the planned new stadium, the master plan says.
These stages do not have a timeline or allocated funding.
Kate McIlwain
For more than a decade, I've helped the Illawarra Mercury set the news agenda across the region. Currently I'm the paper's health reporter - covering the stories of Illawarra workers and residents in the wake of a global pandemic and at a time where our health systems are stretched to the limit.
For more than a decade, I've helped the Illawarra Mercury set the news agenda across the region. Currently I'm the paper's health reporter - covering the stories of Illawarra workers and residents in the wake of a global pandemic and at a time where our health systems are stretched to the limit.
