About Us
The Thunder Bay Community Tennis Centre is located in Chapples Park. It features 9 “plexipave” courts and six floodlit for night play. A full suite of programs and services is offered including lessons, clinics, league play, socials, and tournaments. The clubhouse features full change room facilities with showers and lockers, a full kitchen, and a pro shop. Tennis instruction is available through our qualified staff. We host a variety of programs to help members engage with other tennis players of likeability. Come visit us – we will be happy to show you around.
History
The Thunder Bay Community Tennis Centre in its present location was opened in 1973. “It was an exciting time for tennis in Thunder Bay”, recalls then-President Craig Stanley. The facility boasted 6 brand-new courts and a clubhouse. “We’ve moved into a new era”, Craig Stanley proudly remembers.
The “Jeux Canada Games” afforded the Centre the opportunity to upgrade its facilities adding three new courts, including the Court #1 stadium court that would offer spectator access. The event was a huge success and the sport of tennis enjoyed a strong revival through that period. Names such as Dick Wilson, Richard Earl, Lousie McGinn, and many others made the sports pages as their successes on the new courts were recounted.
The tennis event of the outdoor season, the Mascarin Collision Mid Canada Open tournament (Tennis Canada 1000 event) has hosted internationally competitive players including Eric Butorac, the 2014 Australian Open doubles finalist. Annually, many of Canada’s top competitive players compete with some of our friends south of the border. “The beauty of this tournament is that you can be good in Ontario, but you get some really neat competition if you come to Thunder Bay given our relationship with many of the Minneapolis clubs and Universities.” says Head Pro Jamie Grieve. “It is truly a pleasure to watch. We like to show all our out-of-town guests a good time.”
There have been many great players that have grown up in our tennis community, and some that did not reach international levels but had a huge passion for the sport.
Thanks to the dedication and untiring effort of our Head Professional, Jamie Grieve, our Centre is proud to be home to a number of aspiring athletes now enjoying tennis scholarships at various post-secondary institutions. Thunder Bay is blessed with an extremely competent and enthusiastic Tennis Professional in Jamie. The vision of the Tennis Centre’s Board of Directors is to enhance our facility with proper indoor courts so our members, students, and especially our proteges can thrive in the competitive world of tennis.