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| Tennis club set to mark 50 years of sporting service |
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THE Geilston Bay Tennis Club will celebrate its official 50-year anniversary next year with the opening of some new facilities as well as displays and member get togethers. The major celebrations will be held on Sunday 3 February 2008 starting at 10 am at the tennis club. The club evolved from 1954, when a group approached the then Clarence Commission, to buy de Bomford's orchard for the development of recreational facilities. The Geilston Bay Progress Association developed a plan for the area, including the plans for two en-tout-cas tennis courts. Volunteers raised money and the first working bee was held on November 24 1956, and completed in December 1957. The courts were available for hire for five shillings an hour with bookings at C Cordwell's shop. The first clubhouse was a transportable canvas covered framework but an army surplus hut was soon purchased. The inaugural meeting was held on 28 January 1958 and the first courts were lit in November 1958. During the 1960s two more clay courts and a bumping wall were added (with support of a loan from the Clarence Commission), and the joys of sweeping the courts after games became an institution. The present Clubhouse was completed and opened by former MHR Bruce Goodluck (an ex patron) on 26 September 1976. In 1979 courts three and four were lit and the club became an incorporated body. Also all 5 courts were re-surfaced with no-fines concrete (allowing all weather play and no more sweeping). In 1987 a barbecue shelter was constructed. In 1998 courts one to four were re-surfaced with Supergrasse and opened to coincide with the Club's 40th anniversary celebrations. Court fve was re-surfaced in 2002. Currently the Club has about 260 members, and the clubhouse has been re-developed this year, with a new kitchen, disabled facilities and an observation deck. A new court six is being constructed with support from the Tasmanian Government through a Sport and Recreation Grant, and the bumping wall is being re-located with support from the Telstra Fund.  Some of the newly-refurbished facilities including the kitchen area. The anniversary will incorporate the official opening of the new facilities, along with displays of historical articles of interest, lunch and social tennis. Interested past members are welcome to re-visit during the day and see the ever-changing facilities and reminisce. Past members with memorabilia, anecdotes, tales of tennis long gone, phone the secretary Sue Bidgood on 6247 8298.
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