The Corner Flag: Courts are rotting away
What really needs to happen for the CoE to fix and maintain our sporting facilities?
Last week, I watched South Africa’s wheelchair tennis sensation Alwande Sikhosana compete in the country for the first time in six years.
He headlined the Amex International Tennis Federation (ITF) Futures series at the Gauteng East Tennis Association (GETA) complex.
Alwande was a marvel to watch as he beat Germany’s Anthony Dittmar in straight sets in their two finals, earning valuable ranking points to continue his chase for a Grand Slam qualification.
The duo’s talent was unmatched, and the fans surrounding the court during their match on July 4 got their money’s worth after braving the cold weather to watch these superstars compete.
Despite the interest the match attracted, I was concerned about the venue where it was hosted. I’m by no means insinuating that the GETA facility is bad. It’s one of the best and well-maintained facilities in the province.
In fact, the GETA management deserves praise for their wheelchair-friendly facility, which enables wheelchair-bound players to move around without any hassles.
My point is that Sikhosana and Dittmar’s, as well as the women’s final between Türkiye’s Zeliha Aksak and Nokwanda Hlongwana, deserved a venue that matched their star quality.
A match of that billing should have been played on a centre court with a spectator pavilion – like the Walmsley Park tennis facility in Western Extension.
Unfortunately, that facility, with a pavilion overlooking the centre court, which is also surrounded by multiple mini courts, is rotting.
A once thriving and vibrant cornerstone of tennis development in the community, the facility now stands as a haunting sight of neglect.
Its infrastructure, steel grandstands, court surface, nets and court and perimeter fences, is decaying.
Overgrown grass and thick vegetation have enveloped the mini courts and, worst of all, part of the perimeter wall on the corner of Turvey Street and Kemston Avenue has fallen.
The venue, which is said to have hosted former American ace Jimmy Connors in an exhibition match in the 1970s, is decaying because of neglect, vandalism and lack of funding for maintenance and upgrades.
It has been left at the mercy of vandals, while its future remains uncertain.
It’s concerning that in the three years the Benoni City Times has queried the municipality about its plans for the venue, nothing has changed.
While the GETA facility in Lakefield is well-maintained and continues the development of tennis in Ekurhuleni, why are the Walmsley Park courts left to rot?
It’s a shame that a venue fitting to host players ranked in the top 50 in the world in the men’s singles – Sikhosana is ranked 31st and Dittmar 40th – is no longer fit for use.
What really needs to happen for the CoE to fix and maintain our sporting facilities?
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Also Read: The Corner Flag: When will council play ball?
