Vol 12. Issue 1
Dec 2019
HH Couple Resurrect Community Tennis Court!
HH residents Rob and Barbara Powell have a huge fight on their hands. When they bought their home at 14 Braestar Court in 2002, they and 118 other home owners in the area had included on their title part ownership of a community tennis court. Each year, all of those 118 owners are legally required to pay a maintenance fee to a committee run by locals for the court’s upkeep. The suburb developers Fletcher’s Building just presumed that locals would volunteer to oversee maintenance,
but the opposite happened. Fewer and fewer paid their sub and the courts threatened to fall into disrepair. Enter local residents Rob and Barbara to the rescue. They formalized an agreement with the 118 owners, put in place an annual fee of $30 and formed the Braestar Court Association. “Today, 2019, everyone is paying” says Rob “but most of the 118 owners are not interested in tennis. Only 10 or so turn up to our AGM. People are overloaded with debt, work long hours, and they have no time for recreation. One more responsibility would break the camel’s back, so to speak. Barbara and I have hung in there, and the court is now in top condition and everyone is paying. Young blood is coming through with new ideas. One idea is to turn part
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of the area around the court into a community garden! Wow! That would be amazing.” Says Barbara “Already, it’s a perfect place for community events, birthdays, and family functions. There are outdoor tables and chairs. But adding a community garden would be fabulous.” And what of the future? It’s looking bright as a new generation of residents recognise the value of having a place where families can play safely, learn tennis tips from a local expert and parents and couples alike can settle in with a quiet drink with nibbles for an afternoons catch up on life in general. A New Year’s get together in early 2020 is planned and everyone is invited. There will be ice cream, a BBQ ,and games for the children. The area also boasts a new Neighbourhood support coordinator who is supporting the associations desire to have this unique space become a community hub. Check out the face book page: Braestar Court Association
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