Tennis Canada and National Bank launch national program to revitalize more than 100 outdoor public tennis courts across the country

Program goals to make tennis much more accessible, invitations municipalities to use for a share of a $3 million funding in neighborhood court docket infrastructure.

Tennis Canada and Nationwide Financial institution announce the launch of the Nationwide Financial institution Play Your Court docket Program, an bold, first-of-its variety, grant program that goals to assist many communities revitalize their out of doors public tennis courts. Funded by Nationwide Financial institution, the initiative makes accessible $3 million that shall be directed to greater than 100 courts throughout the nation by 2030. The primary 4 courts to be revitalized are situated at Morris Kerbel Park, in Brampton, Ontario.

“We’re enthusiastic about this new initiative with our long-time associate Tennis Canada. The revitalization of public courts can have a big constructive impression in lots of communities throughout the nation and can enable 1000’s of tennis fans to profit from high quality amenities of their neighbourhoods. We’re satisfied that offering an inviting atmosphere will even encourage many new gamers to take up the game and revel in its advantages,” mentioned Jean-François Hanczakowski, Senior Vice-President, Consumer Expertise and Digital at Nationwide Financial institution.

Over the previous decade, the recognition of tennis has elevated partly because of the achievements of gamers like Eugenie Bouchard, Bianca Andreescu, Félix Auger-Aliassime, Leylah Annie Fernandez, Denis Shapovalov and Milos Raonic.

“Canadians of all ages and talents ought to be capable to make their method to a neighborhood court docket understanding they’ll discover a high quality tennis court docket and atmosphere the place they are often lively with household and associates,” says Michael Downey, President at Tennis Canada. “This venture is a vital a part of our long-term athlete improvement efforts and dedication to creating the game much more accessible than it already is. We’re grateful to Nationwide Financial institution for its imaginative and prescient and dedication to the enjoyable, healthful and protected sport that we love.”

This system is a part of a 10-year partnership between Tennis Canada and Nationwide Financial institution that was introduced in February 2021. Components of this company partnership, thought-about the biggest within the historical past of the game in Canada, embody multifaceted sponsorships of the Nationwide Financial institution Open tournaments in Toronto and Montreal, Nationwide Financial institution Challenger Tour and regional occasions. It additionally options assist of provincial tennis associations and the Tennis Professionals Affiliation (TPA), a long-term gender fairness technique, and the favored Nationwide Financial institution Little Aces expertise recruitment and improvement program.

“The worth of this partnership is priceless,” says Eugène Lapierre, Senior Vice-President – Quebec, Tennis Canada. “The reality is these packages go away a longstanding and constructive impression on folks from all walks of life, their households and communities. That is the superior energy of sport, in addition to partnerships with caring, visionary corporations. On behalf of our tennis neighborhood, thanks Nationwide Financial institution to your dedication to this sport.”

Municipalities can submit their grant purposes as of October 2022 as a part of a variety course of that shall be managed by Tennis Canada. Modelled after the Brampton venture, this system is seeking to supply comparable grants to 2 initiatives in 2023, after which 4 yearly from 2024 to 2030.

Data on this system in addition to an software kind shall be accessible over the following few months at tenniscanada.com/PlayYourCourt.