Markham Racquet Club aces Tennis Canada, Rogers sponsorship for year-round facility

Yorkregion.com
March 23, 2022

While tennis has seen a surge in popularity during the past decade, there are only 750 publicly accessible covered courts across the country.

That represents one year-round court for every 50,000 people, but a Markham facility is among the drive to change that.

“The sport's really grown a lot thanks to the likes of Milos Raonic, Eugenie Bouchard, Bianca Andreescu and Félix Auger-Aliassime, but there aren’t enough indoor courts,” said Premier Racquet Club owner Karl Hale, who is one of Canada’s preeminent tennis industry leaders known as a former Davis Cup player for Jamaica, Fed Cup coach for Canada and Rogers Cup tournament director.

Hale partnered with the city of Markham to cover six existing courts at Markham Tennis Club with air-supported covers or “bubbles,” which will boost available court times in a now lengthened season.

Rogers has since come on board with Tennis Canada to sponsor the facility, announcing earlier this month that the Markham club is among the first four covered courts to receive funding under the Year-Round Community Tennis Courts Program.

The $5.6-million multi-year program, jointly funded by Tennis Canada and Rogers, aims to make year-round tennis a reality for thousands of people and help foster increased participation among youth.

The goal is to build 160 new year-round courts at up to 30 facilities over the next seven years.

“This is a watershed announcement for the future of tennis in Canada,” Michael Downey, president and CEO of Tennis Canada said March 9.

Boosting year-round tennis in communities across Canada will increase participation among youth, all local community members and the next generation of high-performance athletes, added Robert Dépatie, Rogers Communications president and chief operating officer, home and business.

With more court hours available to Markham residents, they won't have to go to other areas such as Aurora or Oshawa to play indoor tennis, which will enhance the city’s recreational programs, Hale said.

The bubbles will also boost the club’s competitive program -- from players to coaching and support staff opportunities to competitive tennis events that will bring people from across the globe.

“Hopefully, down the road, we will develop our very own Milos, Felixes and Biancas of the world out of Markham,” Hale said, adding there is a real socioeconomic benefit to the community and for the residents at large.

Plans also include a small pickleball program in response to the sport’s emergence as the fastest growing sport across North America in the past five years.

“This is a really exciting partnership of a lot of people, and it's really exciting to contribute to the community in a really positive way,” Hale said, adding the feedback to date has been much greater than anticipated.

Within a week of launching its charter membership, the club had already received five times what it had expected in terms of enrolment.

“We were 30 per cent of the way there in a week, which is incredible, when we had expected it to be basically five per cent, but it just demonstrates the need,” said Hale, noting the club has a membership of roughly 600.

When completed and open by Oct. 1, the domed facility will be called the Premier Racquet Club Markham presented by Rogers.

“That really helps bring recognition to the facility and shows people that this is going to be a really top-notch program.”

Proud to be the first new indoor tennis club in the Greater Toronto Area in the past 30 years, Hale said it is too early to answer questions on any possible future expansion.

“We just want to run a facility with excellence. Down the road, you never say never, we'll see, but right now, our focus is on this facility and making it fulfil all of its objectives," he said.

“We're creating a safe, healthy environment of tennis that people can enjoy, be healthy and active. The facility will have very strong values of integrity, respect, work ethic and sportsmanship.”