Greater Saint John could soon be home to the largest indoor tennis facility in New Brunswick.
An eight-court facility is being planned for the University of New Brunswick’s Saint John campus near the G. Forbes Elliot Athletics Centre.
UNB and the Fundy Tennis Association (FTA) announced Thursday that they have signed a letter of intent to partner on the facility, which is estimated to cost between $15 million and $20 million.
“The future of tennis, both professionally and recreationally, looks brighter than ever,” Dana Brown, FTA chairperson and president of Tennis New Brunswick, said in a news release.
“Having an indoor facility in the Fundy region will mean people from all over southern New Brunswick – no matter age, gender, skill level or financial ability –can have fun and stay physically and mentally active 12 months of the year.”
The Fundy Region Tennis Centre will be a not-for-profit organization fully owned and operated by the FTA, with support from Tennis New Brunswick and Tennis Canada.
It will be open to all with a “No Child Refused” policy, ensuring children from low-income households can play tennis, according to the release.
“UNB is thrilled to be part of such an inclusive community project that strives to create an affordable, accessible and family-friendly environment,” said Dr. Petra Hauf, vice-president Saint John at UNB.
“The benefits of tennis have long been recognized and the new centre will not only appeal to players from the community but will also attract new students and families to our area.”
According to the release, New Brunswick has the lowest number of indoor tennis courts per capita in Canada — one per 125,000 people — yet there has been significant growth in tennis in the last five years.
Tournament play has seen close to a 10 per cent rise in the last five years while junior participation is up more than 50 per cent at most tennis clubs, according to Mark Thibault, executive director of Tennis New Brunswick.
As it stands, New Brunswick has just one indoor tennis facility, located on the south side of Fredericton.
Half of the courts in the Saint John facility will meet International Tennis Federation standards, enabling professional tournament play, and one court will be convertible for four pickleball courts.
Construction is scheduled to start in 2023 with an opening planned for 2024.
