‘Tennis courts sale idea is disgusting’ (From Gazette)
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‘Tennis courts sale idea is disgusting’
6:00pm Monday 13th February 2012 in Colchester By Andrea Collitt
Jill Dyer
A FORMER tennis coach and champion says there is an agreement to stop tennis courts in Colchester being sold.
Colchester Council is considering selling a handful of the courts at Colchester Tennis Centre, in Eudo Road, to developers.
Jill Dyer, who still plays tennis at the site in Shrub End, says there is an agreement dating back more than 70 years prohibiting the land being sold off.
She said: “A man called Mr Harper once owned all the tennis courts and the sports facilities.
“He either gave all the land to the council for free or for a nominal amount on the condition all sports facilities be retained.”
Miss Dyer, who lives opposite the courts in Fitzgilbert Road, said the council would need to check the title deeds to clarify the information.
Miss Dyer, who is in her early seventies and still plays at county level, was crowned Colchester ladies’ tennis champion several times in the late Fifties and early Sixties.
She began to play aged seven, and has coached at the site.
Miss Dyer is fiercely critical of the council’s proposals.
She said: “I think it is disgusting. The new coach has been there two or three years and is turning the place around. The facilities are fully used from March to September.
“I think the council has to be careful because there are hardly any other tennis facilities in the town and there are a lot of youngsters playing there.”
There are 22 courts at Colchester Tennis Centre. Nine are lawn and 13 are hard courts.
Tina Dopson, councillor responsible for communities, said plans to sell the courts were only a proposal at this stage.
She said: “At the point where a decision is made about these proposals on March 14, more detailed work will need to be done to investigate the opportunities identified, including the proposal to explore residential development on part of the tennis centre site.”
The council’s strategic overview and scrutiny panel is due to discuss the proposals tomorrow at 6pm.
l Miss Dyer believes Mr Harper once owned a sports shop in Colchester High Street, called Harper’s, before it relocated.
Anyone who knows more about the agreement or Mr Harper can call the Gazette on 01206 508288.
Comments(9)
roger bacon
says...
6:45pm Mon 13 Feb 12
6079 Smith W
says...
6:54pm Mon 13 Feb 12
roger bacon wrote:And if we are to build more houses let's make sure there's sufficient sport and leisure facilities for the people who will live there, or their kids will become fat and cost so much in terms of health care in the long run.
I would suggest that Mrs Dopson go to Eudo Road Tennis courts in the summer. There is a hive of activity there with club night's and league matches taking place there in the evenings. Surely the empty houses in Colchester should be filled before any more houses should be built?
jut1972
says...
11:14pm Mon 13 Feb 12
6079 Smith W wrote:This is the crux of it for me.
roger bacon wrote:And if we are to build more houses let's make sure there's sufficient sport and leisure facilities for the people who will live there, or their kids will become fat and cost so much in terms of health care in the long run.
I would suggest that Mrs Dopson go to Eudo Road Tennis courts in the summer. There is a hive of activity there with club night's and league matches taking place there in the evenings. Surely the empty houses in Colchester should be filled before any more houses should be built?
What is the point of building more houses in Colchester?
Who are the people so desperate to move here we need to build more?
The council will hide behind legislation saying they HAVE to build more homes, ball ****, to paraphrase tennis and badminton players.
If I was running the council I would tear up the statute book, whats the worst that could happen? Eric Pickles moans at me? big deal. The law is an **** in this country and the council should have the balls to play it in their favour.
advantage us.
Boris
says...
12:17am Tue 14 Feb 12
Boris
says...
12:22am Tue 14 Feb 12
James 1 wrote:What she said was "“At the point where a decision is made about these proposals on March 14, more detailed work will need to be done to investigate the opportunities identified, including the proposal to explore residential development on part of the tennis centre site.”
This sounds like Mrs Dopson doing a bit of what politicians are good at. BACKPEDDLING
This doesn't sound like back-pedalling to me. It sounds like a determination to carry on with a ruinous project if she possibly can.
Let's hope she can't.
Feisty CBC
says...
2:32am Tue 14 Feb 12
Reginald47
says...
1:25pm Tue 14 Feb 12
Boris
says...
2:24am Thu 16 Feb 12
Reginald47 wrote:It will be more than a couple of courts, and it will certainly be a bad idea. How can you suggest that reducing sports facilities in the fastest-expanding town in the country might possibly be a good idea?
Yes - sick and dog mess is 'disgusting'. Selling off a couple of tennis courts might or might not be a good idea when we all find out more about it.
James 1 says...
6:27pm Mon 13 Feb 12