Residents of Mitchell are getting what they've been asking for. Dick Penner is President of the Recreation Committee. He says residents want tennis courts, and now they're getting them.

Penner says a lot of research has been done to identify what's lacking in the community. He notes surveys have been sent out with the help of the RM of Hanover's Recreation Director. "We had some surveys and polls going out through the schools and stuff as to what people would like to see and tennis came up high on the list," says Penner. "So we decided that we should pursue this."

Two doubles tennis courts are being built east of the arena on land once occupied by a baseball diamond. Penner says when the new ball park was built in Mitchell several years ago, the diamond east of the arena was no longer needed and it was decided to transform that into tennis courts. He notes this whole process has been three or four years in the making.

Penner says work started about three weeks ago. The original plan was to dig out twelve inches of the old material and then build up. But Penner says the soil underneath wasn't as good as they had hoped, thus escalating the cost of the project.

Once complete, the project will cost about $145,000. Penner says they've received a $40,000 Community Places grant through the provincial government to cover part of the cost. The rest will be paid for through the RM of Hanover and the Rec's savings account. "We've kind of been saving up for this for some time," notes Penner.

Penner expects the courts to be ready for action towards the end of July. The surface has been poured but there's still painting to be done, as well as a fence to erect.  He notes the courts will be painted green and blue. "Naturally Mitchell being blue it had to have some blue in it."

Penner says the lack of courts in Mitchell has meant residents have been traveling to Steinbach to get in their matches, or simply choosing not to play at all.