[TORONTO, ON] July 4, 2025 – In its most impactful year yet, the National Bank Play Your Court Program held grand openings for projects in four municipalities across Canada throughout June. In total, 21 revitalized and new public tennis courts were delivered in four communities, offering residents a better place to enjoy the sport of tennis.
The four grand openings took place at Complexe sportif Forage FTE (formerly Rock Forest Recreation Centre), Frank-Gougeon Park in Drummondville, Quebec; Garnetwood Park in Mississauga, Ontario; and Garden City Collegiate in Winnipeg, Manitoba. As part of the initiative, each municipality received $100,000 in seed money to renovate existing facilities, including resurfacing courts as well as adding new poles, nets, fencing, and signage.
As dignitaries and community members gathered at each opening to celebrate the refurbished courts, it served as a poignant reminder of the significant impact of programs like National Bank Play Your Court.
“We are thrilled that the municipalities of Sherbrooke, Drummondville, Mississauga, and Winnipeg have received revitalized tennis courts, and residents in those communities have a place to experience the joy and lifelong benefit of playing tennis,” said Gavin Ziv, Chief Executive Officer, Tennis Canada. “We have seen encouraging growth in tennis participation across the nation, but with that comes an increased demand for accessible courts. Tennis Canada is dedicated to growing the sport and making it accessible to all, and programs like National Bank Play Your Court help make that possible. As this program continues to thrive, we look forward to seeing more municipalities in Canada get involved and bring refurbished tennis courts to their communities.”
More on the National Bank Play Your Court Program Grand Openings
Complexe sportif Forage FTE
Municipality: Sherbrooke, QC
Revitalized courts: 8
“The revitalization of the courts at the Complexe sportif Forage FTE is a testament to Sherbrooke’s continued commitment to invest in accessible, high-quality sports infrastructure,” said Nancy Robichaud, City Councillor and Chair of the Culture, Recreation, Sports and Outdoors Commission, City of Sherbrooke. “These new courts offer residents more opportunities to stay active, connect with others, and explore or deepen their love of the game. We want to thank Tennis Canada and National Bank for their strong commitment to our community. This partnership makes us incredibly proud, and we’re already thrilled by the enthusiasm it’s sparked. The courts are always busy.”
From left to right: Martin Bergeron (General Manager, Gestion Loisirs Plus), Christelle Lefèvre (City Councillor for the Saint-Élie District, Borough of Brompton–Rock Forest–Saint-Élie–Deauville, City of Sherbrooke), Eugène Lapierre (Special Advisor to the CEO, Tennis Canada), Nicolas Vanasse (Head of the Sports Division, City of Sherbrooke), Nancy Robichaud (City Councillor and Chair of the Culture, Recreation, Sports and Outdoors Commission, City of Sherbrooke), Christian Bellavance (President, Gestion Loisirs Plus), Néjib Ranni (Regional Vice-President, Estrie, National Bank), Annie Godbout (City Councillor for the Rock Forest District, City of Sherbrooke), Vincent Millot (Director of Tennis, Gestion Loisirs Plus). Photo: Pascal Ratthé
Frank-Gougeon Park
Municipality: Drummondville, QC
Revitalized courts: 3
“The revitalization of the courts at Frank-Gougeon Park is a tangible investment in the quality of life of our citizens,” said Stéphanie Lacoste, Mayor of the City of Drummondville. “In Drummondville, we firmly believe in the importance of making sports accessible and promoting healthy lifestyles. Thanks to the collaboration of Tennis Canada and National Bank, these facilities will enable even more families, young people, and tennis enthusiasts to enjoy their sport in a high-quality environment. We are very proud of this project and grateful to everyone who helped make it a reality.”
From left to right: Carolyne Marcoux (Executive Director, Drummondville Sports), Alexandre Desbiens (Municipal Councillor, District 2, City of Drummondville), Mario Sévigny (Municipal Councillor, District 10, City of Drummondville), Eugene Lapierre (Special Advisor to the CEO, Tennis Canada), Jonathan Guay (Deputy General Director, Citizen Services, City of Drummondville), Stéphanie Lacoste (Mayor of Drummondville), Jean-Philippe Tessier (Municipal Councillor, District 6, City of Drummondville), Anne Veillette (Coordinator, Tennis Association of the City of Drummondville), Francis Adam (General Director, City of Drummondville), Stéphanie Rioux (Regional Vice-President, National Bank), Sarah Saint-Cyr Lanoie (Municipal Councillor, District 5, City of Drummondville), Steve Bazinet (Division Manager, Recreation and Community Services, City of Drummondville), Laurence Sauvageau (Project Manager, Engineering, City of Drummondville). Photo: Pascal Ratthé
Garnetwood Park
Municipality: Mississauga, ON
Revitalized courts: 4
“The new tennis courts at Garnetwood Park are a wonderful addition to our Ward 3 community,” said Chris Fonseca, Ward 3 Councillor, City of Mississauga. “Thanks to our partnership with Tennis Canada and National Bank, we’re making sport and recreation more accessible for everyone. These courts are not simply a place to play but a place where great moments happen, like playing a friendly match, taking a first lesson, or just spending time with family and friends. I invite all members of our community, including our youth and the young at heart, families, those who have never picked up a racquet before, as well as aspiring athletes, to come out and discover the joys of tennis. This summer, be sure to mark your calendars and give these new courts a try.”
From left to right: Joe Horneck (Ward 6 Councillor, City of Mississauga), Carolyn Parrish, (Mayor of Mississauga), Chris Fonseca (Ward 3 Councillor, City of Mississauga), Maria Pavlakos, (National Bank Regional Vice-President, GTA North and West), Gavin Ziv (CEO, Tennis Canada), Colin Johnston (Manager, Parks, City of Mississauga) Photo: Peter Power
Garden City Collegiate
Municipality: Winnipeg, MB
Revitalized and new courts: 6
“We are very thankful for our partnership with Tennis Canada and National Bank, and our participation in the National Bank Play Your Court Program. These beautiful, revitalized tennis courts will benefit members of our community for years to come,” said Devi Sharma, City Councillor, Old Kildonan Ward, The City of Winnipeg. “They represent a renewed commitment to healthy, active living and to making tennis more accessible for everyone in our community. These courts will serve as a vibrant gathering place where players of all ages and skill levels can come together, learn, compete, and have fun.”
From left to right: Howard Kowalchuk (Principal of Garden City Collegiate), Tony Kreml (Superintendent, Seven Oaks School Division), Scott Gillingham (Mayor of The City of Winnipeg), Mohamed Ismath (Tennis Canada, Board of Directors), Jennifer Schafer (Vice President and Regional Manager for the Prairies, National Bank Financial), Devi Sharma (City Councillor, Old Kildonan Ward, The City of Winnipeg), Ed Villamar and Romilyn Lacap (Winnipeg North Sports Group), Derek Dabee (Seven Oaks School of Division, Board of Trustees) Photo: David Lipnowski
Impact so far
Across Canada, tennis participation continues to rise, with 13 percent of Canadians – or nearly 5 million – having played tennis in 2023. The nation ranks second globally for the percentage of its population playing tennis at 12.8 percent, according to the International Tennis Federation (ITF) 2024 Global Tennis Report. This growing interest is a welcome sign for the sport, but it also means the need for courts remains high.
The National Bank Play Your Court Program, which provides $3 million in funding to revitalize 100 courts across the country by 2030, is key to meeting the ever-increasing demand for well-maintained tennis facilities across Canada. The program not only brings much-needed improvements to these facilities but will also hopefully encourage more players to pick up a racquet and enjoy the lifelong benefits of tennis.
Since the initiative launched in 2022, the program has delivered seven projects located in British Columbia, Manitoba, Ontario, and Quebec for a total of 34 revitalized and new courts. Later this year, four more municipalities will be selected to each receive $100,000 in funding to refurbish public tennis courts in their communities.
If you are interested in getting more information about the program and to see if your outdoor courts are eligible, please click here or email us at playyourcourt@tenniscanada.com.
Featured photo: Pascal Ratthé
