Maryhill Park's tennis courts have been re-opened by Judy Murray, mum to tennis aces Andy and Jamie, after a £257,000 refurbishment.
The revitalisation has seen three full-size all weather courts and four mini courts replace the old red blaes ones, with each court benefiting from flood lights.
To celebrate the opening of the state-of-the-art facility yesterday, children took part in tennis sessions run by Judy Murray and coaches from Maryhill Community Tennis Club.
Two men from the nearby area were trained to become expert tennis coaches by the Judy Murray Foundation as part of the project and will be providing free sessions to around 60 local children every week
The OBE-awarded tennis coach said: "I’m delighted to have been able to play a part in making this facility happen at Maryhill Park along with a wonderful group of local people, and so pleased to see it open at last.
"Local community sports facilities like these are vital to making tennis more accessible and getting our nation more active. I look forward to hearing about the progress of the newly formed Maryhill Community Tennis Club.”
Friends of Maryhill Park and Maryhill Community Tennis Club co-Chair, Sarah Howitt, added: "This is a huge moment for the community in Maryhill and north Glasgow.
"We’ve campaigned long and hard for improvements in our park, and this has been a long time coming. For us this is all about community, tennis is seen as an elite sport, but five and six-year-olds don’t know that - for them, it’s just fun.
"For three years now, we’ve been able to provide free weekly coaching sessions for kids in the area. That will continue, and we will now be able to hold them at this fantastic complex of tennis courts and add sessions for adults too."
The new look courts are open to members of the public and are free to use, much like the rest of the courts operated by Glasgow Life.
A new “Smart Gate” system has all been installed which links with the floodlights, recording the number of people on the court and minimising the energy used and ensuring the lights are on when people are on the court.
Bailie Annette Christie, Chair of Glasgow Life, said: “These courts are an investment in the health and wellbeing of people in the north of Glasgow and across the city.
"The benefits of participating in sport are well-known, and facilities like this are vital for helping make tennis more accessible to Glaswegians and getting people active.
“This facility is for everyone, whether you are an experienced tennis player, or someone inspired to pick up a racket for the first time. The opening of the courts is exciting news and is a result of hard work by the local community and all the partners involved."
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