The Comox Valley Tennis Club along with Tennis Canada is celebrating the first ever Tennis Day in Canada. Anyone who plays tennis or has ever wanted to start the game is encouraged to join the fun.

The club has joined over 150 clubs across Canada that will celebrated the day on Saturday, May 13. The initiative was put together at the national level through Tennis Canada and ParticipACTION, and builds on the Comox Valley being voted the most tennis-friendly community in Canada in 2014.

Club president Tony Wong was behind the idea 100 per cent from the start.

鈥淏renda Dean, the local tennis coach and Tennis Canada Building Community Champion, brought the idea to the board and we jumped at the chance to participate,鈥� Wong said. 鈥淲e have such an awesome membership with our club, but really, Tennis Day in Canada is for everyone in the community. The clubhouse will be open to everyone that day, refreshments and snacks will be available, and we鈥檒l have racquets available if anyone needs one.鈥�

Tennis in Canada has seen an explosion in people playing, from ages four to 100. In 2016, the sport grew by 14 per cent. Locally, tennis is thriving with membership at the CVTC increasing by 35 per cent last year. Membership exceeds 250, including 52 junior members. Once signed up, members also become Tennis BC members.

鈥淭ennis is growing rapidly at the junior level, in the Comox Valley and on Vancouver Island,鈥� Dean said. 鈥淟ast year we had six schools participate in a junior tennis program that involved over 500 kids and three schools have added tennis into their PE curriculum. Considering everything there is to do in this beautiful place we live, to see tennis growing like this, is so awesome. Tennis Canada and Tennis BC are thrilled with how our program has grown and how many new players the Team Tennis format is attracting. Being part of a team, developing tennis skills and playing matches and having fun is key to the continued growth.鈥�

Although the local tennis community has grown and membership at the club level has increased over the past five years, it doesn鈥檛 come without its challenges. At present, there are only 12 usable outdoor courts in the Valley and no indoor courts. It鈥檚 estimated that over 2,000 Valley residents play tennis from March to October, when the courts are full. For a population of the Valley鈥檚 size, the number of courts should be closer to 20.

Another challenge is pressure from other sports that want to use the courts. Other sports that have access to other indoor and outdoor facilities have approached the City of Courtenay and Town of Comox, and have asked that game-playing lines be painted on the tennis courts.

鈥淭he consensus has been to work together as a community to create infrastructure that supports all sports with designated facilities,鈥� Wong said. 鈥淚t would be like asking lawn bowlers to share their space with 10-pin bowlers. It doesn鈥檛 make sense, especially with the limited courts in the Valley. The idea to take away from one sport to build another has not had any positive impact in any community.鈥�

Regardless of outside pressures and limited court space, the local tennis community is enjoying the growth and popularity. Official festivities for Tennis Day in Canada will kick off at 10 a.m. and run until 1 p.m. at the Anderton Park Courts in Comox. If you can鈥檛 make it, there are courts at Lewis Park in Courtenay and at the Cumberland Village Park.

鈥淛ust get out and have a great time on May 13,鈥� Wong said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a game that I have been playing for a long time and I still love it. It鈥檚 great for kids, families and for friends.鈥�

For more information visit www.comoxvalleytennis.org. or www.facebook.com/northislandregionaltennissociety/