Our Facility Story
Making year-round tennis a reality
together a community that has been devasted by the pandemic and inflation. I can't wait to see it full of kids, it will change their lives."
About that bubble thing, can I invite a friend?
Jason, Philpott Camper age 11
That “bubble thing” is Philpott’s biggest and most exciting project to date. The first-ever accessible, indoor tennis facility operated by Philpott Children’s Tennis. It will be a total game changer for both the Jane-Finch community and the vision for what Philpott and our community partners can achieve together. Keep reading to learn more!
The dream goal at Philpott Children’s Tennis has always been an accessible indoor facility. A safe, dignified space that our families can call their own.
Our own facility allows us to provide programming 12 months of the year, and at convenient times. We can eliminate the need for long travel times and transportation; addressing so many of the main barriers to sport participation, particularly during the indoor season.
Finally, we are always committed to fostering an environment where coaches, mentors, and community members are a reliable support network and champion for every child’s success and well-being. And we can make that environment available to the kids….ALL YEAR LONG!
Phase I - complete
In 2021, we embarked on a project to resurface the courts at our San Romanoway site in the Jane -Finch neighbourhood. This is a community that we have been working with for over 20 years. We partnered with property owners, Greenwin Corp and RPMS, to rebuild two professional quality courts at the existing site at Jane-Finch.
This reburbishment project coincided with a shift in our strategic direction to grow vertically and deepen our impact with our existing partner communities vs. growing horizontally to expand the number of locations. The refurbishment became the first phase in a longer-term plan to cover these courts for year-round play and make a bigger commitment to the kids and families at San Romanoway.
Phase 2- 2024
We are currently in the final phase of this project. The majority of the required capital has been committed, and we are currently working through final permits. Once construction begins, we anticipate that the project will take approximately 6 months to complete.
There’s still time to be part of the next era of Philpott Children’s Tennis.
Reach out to us today to find out how you can be part of this game-changing investment in the Jane-Finch neighbourhood.
Why indoor tennis is so important
Too often and for too many years, we have had to break the news to eager young kids, that they have to wait until next summer to continue their love for tennis and to see their coaches and friends on court.
The majority of Philpott programs run 7-8 weeks through the summer months only. Our handful of indoor programs are reliant on outside organizations for court-time which makes it difficult to provide sustainable programs.
With over 98% of our families wanting their children to continue in tennis, but over 75% being unaware of affordable programs in their community, we knew it was more important than ever to focus on providing year-round play.
Year Round Play, Year-Round Impact
The ability to provide our programs all year round will change our impact in every way. In addition to eliminating the need for travel time and transportation, our programs can be offered at convenient, after-school hours, making it easier on kids and families to participate in sports and also make it easier to keep up with school work at the same time. We will also be able to expand our program offerings in this neighbourhood with additional leadership and coaching development opportunities.
Finally, our coaches, who largely hail from our partner communities, will have additional coaching hours which improves their skill, and in turn, the quality of our programs; but it also means they can earn a reasonable income with more regular employment.
