Chatham-Kent commits $2M for area park with tennis dome

Chatham-Kent council has voted to commit up to $2 million to develop a regional park on Chatham’s outskirts that would include a year-round domed tennis centre.

The prospect of such an indoor recreation center is also generating buzz among some other sports as well.

Building on 20 acres of land donated by St. Clair College on Bear Line Road, the first phase of the project involves working with Tennis Clubs of Canada to construct the tennis dome. Administration has been authorized to work on a lease agreement for a portion of the park to locate the dome.

The municipality will use funds from the $10 million it receives from a community benefit agreement with provincial electricity distributor Hydro One for hosting new hydro transmission lines. The money would amount to $1 million a year over 10 years.

Civic administration will meet with other user groups to discuss other uses and facilities to be located at the park.

“This is a perfect example of a public-private partnership. The community has come together to make this happen,” said Mayor Darrin Canniff.

He credited tennis instructors Stephanie and Mark Chapados for stepping up, with their dream for a tennis dome.

“Their dream of (an indoor) tennis court has really spawned this whole concept of the park.”

Mark Chapados recently told council he and his wife began working with Tennis Canada about five years ago to look at a tennis dome, noting it started with an email and they weren’t sure what would become of it.

“What it has become, is something short of amazing,” he said.

Noting tennis participation is growing in Chatham-Kent and across Canada, Chapados said a domed facility can become “a game-changer for not just continuing to grow (tennis), but for all sports that are part of this amazing facility.”

Having everything come together at the right moment for such an opportunity is something that doesn’t happen often, he said.

“You never know when you’re going to get another chance like this,” Chapados said. “So, let’s grab this chance while we have it, because it might not come back.”

Chris Ferren with the Chatham-Kent Wildcats Basketball told council there’s a “desperate need” for such an indoor facility.

“Our organization fully supports this development,” he said.

He said the number of Chatham-Kent Wildcat basketball teams competing in the Ontario Basketball Association has doubled from eight to 16 in the past few years.

Ferren said Wildcats Basketball relies on gyms in the school system to play in, but that can’t meet the organization’s growing needs. He said nearly 90 kids from kindergarten to Grade 8 are waiting to get into the Wildcats’ development program.

Council members also spoke up in support of the project.

Chatham County. Michael Bondy said the Chapados have done a lot of work over the years to single-handedly make the effort to get a tennis dome in Chatham.

“Indoor would be a real benefit to our community,” he said, adding the area had an indoor tennis center for many years at the former Wheels Inn in Chatham.

Many people from Chatham drive to Windsor to play indoor tennis, Bondy noted. “This would be very well used.”

Chatham County. Brock McGregor said he can foresee “lots of really excited community organizations” that would welcome an indoor sports centre, citing the Chatham Cricket Association as an example.