Freed from the thoughts of winning,
I instantly play better.
Andre Agassi
OUR HISTORY
Established in 1971
1974 – Eunice Gibb, Isabel Heaman, Sylvia Fong & Evelyn Samuel
The Saanich Tennis Club was formed on August 25, 1971 by a group of approximately 30 players who had been meeting for matches at various courts in the Saanich area. It was incorporated as a non-profit society under the Societies Act on September 16, 1974.
In these early years, the club did not have a home court. Instead block bookings were made at various Saanich outdoor courts. Notably Lambrick Park, the BC Hydro courts on Viewmont Avenue, and the Cedar Hill Recreation Centre Bubble during the winter months.
It was difficult keeping the membership together with play at several different locations so through the 1980s the club investigated the possibility of constructing its own courts. There was even chatter and hope for the addition of outdoor courts at the Cedar Hill Recreation Center the plans never materialized. It was at the 1989 AGM where the executive was directed to explore the possibility of procuring courts for the club.
The tennis courts on Viewmont Avenue had a unique set-up between BC Hydro (who owned the land and initially constructed the courts) and the municipality of Saanich (who leased the courts along with walking trails and nearby park space from BC Hydro). In Spring 1990 BC Hydro, the municipality of Saanich, and the Saanich Tennis Club came to an agreement which allowed STC to take over the operation and maintenance of the Viewmont Tennis courts.
STC Members are all smiles at the Viewmont Tennis Courts. This is Court 1 looking towards Brydon Park (the clubhouse has yet to be built)
The new agreement permitted STC to build and maintain a small clubhouse on the site and required that a certain number of weekly court hours were available for public use.
Court improvements (i.e., new nets & winders, locks and plexi-paving the surface) commenced quickly and the clubhouse was constructed in 1993. With thanks to donated labour from the Fairey Technical School and a grant from the BC Lotteries Branch.
The Saanich Tennis Club at Viewmont Courts officially opened for play on July 22, 1990.
On September 16, 1990 the club was officially incorporated as a non-profit society under the British Columbia “Societies Act”.
“…to provide social and competitive tennis at the lowest possible cost on a non-profit basis.”