Pokeno locals are ready to do the hard mahi required to get their quaint and historic tennis facility back to its former glory. The Pokeno tennis club was first formed in 1930 with a club located in the township, before being moved to the old school grounds on Avon Road, 2km from town.

Nestled amongst mature oak and totara trees with views across the north Waikato, this facility has been sitting idle for several years as local interest in tennis waned, and a generation of volunteers stepped down from their duties.

Lichen and algae have built up on the surface, and a lack of general maintenance means the courts have become run down. But that’s all about to change. Helen Johnson is orchestrating a preliminary ‘committee’ to coordinate a working bee project which will see a gradual rejuvenation of the facility. Helen sees a mixed-use facility as a good way to develop the site.

The club’s vision is: “To create a friendly, popular community asset that encourages locals and their family and friends to engage in physical activity, events and socialising”

Once cleaned up, taster sessions for bowls and modified junior tennis will be the first steps to getting the place busy and well used again. Local councillor Jacqui Church also attended the meetings and connected the group to HEB construction, who were kind enough to fix the carpark surface and entranceway to help the project along.

To read more visit: https://issuu.com/districtspost/docs/2019-03-26         (page 13)