Burgess Park tennis club shines with new £170,000 floodlights

The new floodlights were installed as a jointly funded project between Southwark Council's Cleaner Greener Safer fund, the Lawn Tennis Association, The Foundation for Sport and the Art, Aylesbury NDC and the London Marathon Charitable Trust. 

Roger Draper, chief executive of the LTA, and Harriett Harman, local MP and shadow minister for culture, media and sports were among the crowd to celebrate the formal opening of the lights.  

Secretary of Southwark City Tennis Club, Tom Ulicsak, said the lights would make a huge difference to the club:  

"This is a real boost for the club. Floodlights are an essential part of providing a year round tennis programme. The new lights at Burgess Park will make a massive difference to opportunities to play for people of all ages and standards." 

Cllr Veronica Ward, cabinet member for culture, leisure, sport and the Olympics at Southwark Council, said:  

"Burgess Park, which is currently benefitting from £6m of improvements, is fast becoming the borough's go to centre for sport and this tennis club is a real gem. I'm delighted that we have been able to contribute to the floodlights for this facility, which will allow so much more tennis to be played than was previously possible.  

I'd also like to praise the hard work and efforts of this tennis club in bringing about these improvements, and in their work promoting grassroots tennis in the area - they're making such a great contribution to sport locally."  

Southwark City Tennis Club is the borough's largest tennis facility, boasting 383 juniors and 237 senior members, as well as the AEGON British 10 and under champion Michael Mhangami.  

The Southwark Council Cleaner Greener Safer budget for 2012/13 is £1.88m, and the programme is now open. Applications will close on 6 January 2012.