Gainesville residents can take part in tennis workshops Saturday in celebration of the re-opening of a local tennis center’s pro shop.
The Joyce Oransky Tennis Center shop at the Albert Ray Massey Park, at 1001 NW 34th St., received a new coat of paint and will also receive a new set of furniture in the coming weeks, said Billy Marcantel, the athletics supervisor for the Parks, Recreation & Cultural Affairs Department. The shop’s re-opening is the start of changes that may come within park tennis programs across the city.
Along with the renovations, an updated online system was implemented on its new website, playtennisgainesville.com, that reserves tennis courts at the center, Marcantel said.
The pro shop renovations, which started on Jan. 7, were part of a contract that was signed in November between the United States Tennis Association Florida and the city, said Frank Swope, the director of tennis management for the association. The renovations are projected to cost between $15,000 to $20,000 once everything is done.
“We view this project as an initial investment to give back to the community,” Swope said.
The contract allowed the city to establish a new tennis program service provider after Mike Oransky, the former provider, retired after 37 years last year, Marcantel said.
A potential updated contract between the tennis association and the city that will include tennis court renovations is expected to be signed in the coming weeks, Swope said.
The renovations in this new contract are expected to include repaving courts and rebuilding fences at Tom Petty Park, Northside Park and TB McPherson Park, he said. The parks have also implemented the new online reservation system.
This project is expected to cost about $1 million and will be partially funded by the city and association, Swope said.
The city began a bidding process to find a new provider and the tennis association was decided on.
The parks construction start date hasn’t been decided yet, Marcantel said.
Gabriel Gutiérrez, a 21-year-old UF mechanical engineering junior, said he is looking forward to these new improvements at tennis courts across the city, especially the new reservation system.
After playing on the UF tennis club team for two years, he lost his motivation to continue because his life as a student got busier, he said. However, he thinks the new reservation system will give him the kickstart he needs to pick up his racquet again.
“It’ll make my life much easier,” Gutiérrez said. “I’m excited for the new changes.”
