Edenbridge Tennis Club Court Rebuild FAQ
We understand that our members and the community may have questions about the upcoming court rebuild project. It has also come to our attention that an article was posted to BlogTO raising questions about the project. To provide clarity, we've compiled answers to the most frequently asked questions:
1. Q: Why is the city investing so much in this project? Isn't resurfacing less expensive?
A: This project goes beyond simple resurfacing. It includes:
- Rebuilding the entire facility
- Installing a new foundation
- Upgrading lighting and fencing
- Removing debris
- Preserving natural vegetation in the area
The club is financing the court's top-coat, while the city covers the core infrastructure improvements. This work will be done in early 2025.
2. Q: Can't this project be postponed for a year or two?
A: Unfortunately, postponing isn't advisable for several reasons:
- The courts haven't had major work in approximately 30 years
- Despite our efforts to maintain playability, the courts continue to deteriorate
- In 2024, we observed unsafe conditions due to cracking and vertical movement of the foundation
- The courts barely met Intercounty Tennis Association standards this year
Delaying the project would likely result in more severe and costly issues in the future.
3. Q: What's the long-term plan for maintaining the courts?
A: We have a sustainable plan in place:
- We anticipate reaching capacity membership by the end of the 2026 season
- At full capacity, the club will be able to self-fund all future top-coat and facility rebuild activities
- We've developed a capital expenditure plan to build the necessary reserves
- Our goal is to ensure that future city funding won't be required for maintenance
4. Q: Why should this facility receive funding when other city programs need resources?
A: This funding comes from Toronto's State of Good Repair budget, which is specifically allocated for capital maintenance projects. Here's why this investment is justified:
- The facility was built in 1978, making it 46 years old
- The site has been overlooked for about 30 years
- We currently serve ~400 members and expect to grow to over 600 after the rebuild
- The club is a community cornerstone, offering:
- Children's tennis clinics
- Group lessons
- Public access for play during non-club hours
- Public events and programming including Toronto District School Board Tennis Practices and Yearly Tennis Tournaments
- Support for a local Autism program, providing hundreds of club hours over recent years
We're committed to maximizing the community benefit of this investment.
If you have any additional questions, please email us at info@edenbridgetennis.com. We appreciate your interest and support as we work to improve our facilities for the benefit of all members and the broader community.