£1.5 million indoor tennis centre plan

The King George V Leisure Complex in Dumfries has been earmarked as a potential site and Dumfries and Galloway Council are in talks with Tennis Scotland and sportscotland about accessing two thirds of the required funding.
Priority status has been given to the project, which would include at least three courts, as well as a social area, cafe, changing rooms and storage.
A report on the project has been drawn up for councillors and will be discussed at a meeting in Dumfries next week.
They will hear that the region has been earmarked as a priority area for investment by Tennis Scotlands Transforming Scottish Indoor Tennis Fund (TSITF) and that a partnership approach is now being taken to secure external match funding.
And it will be stressed that developing the centre will incur no capital costs to the local authority.
Cllr Andy Ferguson, chair of the communities committee, has welcomed the news and said: “This is fantastic news for tennis players of the present and of course the future. The pathways this will open up and the opportunities school children will get to develop their tennis skills in this facility are second to none. I have full confidence that officers will work with partners to source funding thatll allow our council to provide a brand new facility without spending a pound of our own money.
“What a fantastic boost to the region.”
Meanwhile, officials from the councils leisure and sport department are currently working with clubs throughout the region to plan the wider development of tennis locally and more outline how an indoor centre will impact on tennis within Dumfries and Galloway.
Wellbeing manager Lee Seton said: “The options appraisal concluded that the King George V site is the preferred location for a regional indoor tennis facility.
“The King George V facility is currently operated through a Community Sports Hub management model, with our principal partner, Queen of the South FC managing and operating the facility on our behalf.
“Should the indoor tennis proposal be developed, early discussion with the principle partner has confirmed that the current operational arrangements would continue if the facility was extended to include a regional indoor tennis centre, for example, the principal partner would continue to manage and operate the extended facility at no cost to the council.”