New Courts Update

As I type this newsletter, I can hear the sound of wind and rain - just as our new tennis courts are finished and ready to use! It's hard to believe the new courts are finished - this brings a 9-year journey from being just a dream in 2017 to a reality in 2026.

These courts are now available for members to book now - so please enjoy. The court 1 upgrade should hopefully be finished late Monday afternoon (27th) and the fencing for court 7 will be installed on Thursday 30th.

We've had a fantastic response to the opening day for the new courts on 2 August, with 23 pairs for the parent/child tournament in the morning and 30 pairs for the Life Member challenge in the afternoon. Even if you're not playing in either of these fun events, please come down during the day - and especially from 4.00pm onwards.

The official opening ceremony will be from 4.30pm, with our local MP, Simon Watts, helping to open the new courts. The full programme will be on posters at the club over the weekend and on our website.

Our thanks to Craigs Investment Partners and Alex Klintcharov (see below) for supporting us with the opening day plans.

New Club Sponsor

We're delighted to welcome Alex Klintcharov and Harcourts Takapuna as our newest club sponsor. Alex is not only a real estate agent, he is a very accomplished tennis player, having previously been on the professional circuit, and is still ranked #4 in NZ in both singles and doubles.

Alex will lead our 2027 mens Chelsea Cup team - so we will see a lot more of Alex around the club this summer!

Alex has also arranged for the Harcourts coffee and ice cream cart to be at the club next Sunday from 1.00pm for everyone to enjoy.

New Club Security System

Along with some new courts, we are also upgrading our security system. The system we've used has lasted 25 years - not bad really - but we need to modernize our platform and move our facility security into Clubspark, which is our membership system. This means the key tags you've been using for many years will go and we will have pin pads and access codes to use.

A detailed member briefing will come shortly explaining the changes. This will also affect our squash lighting system, so in mid-August we will be installing sensor lights for these courts and doing away with the Hawkeye court controllers.

Tennis Interclub

If you haven't registered your name yet for senior interclub tennis this  coming summer, please email one of the following depending on your interclub plans:

Rob Drent  rob@devonportflagstaff.co.nz for mens singles and doubles

Jill Stoker jillstoker@gmail.com for womens singles and doubles, as well as MXD

Camilla Campbell-Cree camillacampbellcree@gmail.com for mid-week ladies

Junior Squash term 3 has started!

Yes, our term 3 junior squash programmes have started again - see the poster below for more details.

And to finish this month's newsletter, a few community-related items of interest.....

Takapuna Boating Club - Bayswater Clubhouse survey

On Thursday 23rd, the club hosted the Takapuna Boating Club where they gave a community presentation on their plans for the Bayswater Clubhouse restoration.

This is an important historical asset in the Bayswater community, so to have your say about what should happen to this building, please complete their survey here - your feedback is vital to ensure the restoration meets the needs and expectations of our community.

Bayswater Clubhouse survey

Daffodil Volunteers for Cancer Society

Cancer Society Auckland are looking for volunteers for their Devonport collection sites. Volunteers can choose a shift that suits them, and even giving just two hours can make a meaningful difference. 

Volunteers can register here: Volunteer - Auckland

See you all at the grand opening on Sunday 2 August!

Regards

Graeme Norman

President

Please support our family of club sponsors!