We recently completed our fourth AGM online membership survey, which showed strong overall support for the Club’s development plans. In total, 85% of members voted in favour of investing in a plan to install a second padel court at Wargrave (without losing another tennis court), together with an extension of the clubhouse to better serve our growing membership, including junior tennis and coaching. Individually, 59% supported the second padel court and 63% supported the clubhouse extension, with 37% of members choosing to back both initiatives together. You can view images of the proposed plans below or click the following link to explore an interactive 3D layout of the proposed plans.
Support for a Second Padel Court
We launched our first padel court at Wargrave in May this year, and the move has been hugely popular and a significant factor in the 43% increase in our membership over the past 12 months. From the AGM survey, nearly 50% of our members are now playing padel at the Club, 79% say they are pleased we introduced padel at Wargrave, and 85% say that “padel has added value to the Club”.
The rationale for a second court is to support the increasing popularity of the game by providing extra capacity for social or coaching sessions for beginners, as well as encouraging juniors to play. In terms of the specific plans shown below, 85% of members voted in favour of either the second padel court or the clubhouse, and with 59% voting specifically in favour of the second padel court.
To bring these plans to life, we’re currently seeking the Parish Council’s support, including approval to use a relatively small strip of land measuring approximately 4 x 25 metres. With our growing membership and nearly 85% living within five miles of the club, the Club’s committee believes that access to this modest area would yield significant community benefits. The additional court would enhance local recreational opportunities and directly support Wokingham Borough’s goals for improving community health and wellbeing.
Support for a Larger Clubhouse
The second proposal for a larger Clubhouse received support from 63% of members, with plans that would provide great space for a membership that has grown by nearly 200 since the current clubhouse was built. The proposals shared with members included a northern extension for adult socialising and a southern extension with more space to support the growth in junior tennis. The plans would also provide more space for the changing rooms, with storage space being relocated to the new coaching area.
Details of the AGM Survey and Voting
The online AGM survey ran for a period of 3 weeks during which 168 members of voted on a range of motions, including the two future investment proposals, that if supported by our local Parish Council, could be implemented in the next 12-18 months. In terms of “turnout”, the total voting accounts for 53% of our adult members, and parents represent approximately 30% of junior membership. Click on the following link to see the full results of the AGM online survey.
