HW Sports Campus : Tennis Courts

Troubling Element Number Six
Harvard Westlake’s Application for Their Sports Campus

 This is the sixth in our ongoing weekly series of News & Notes that explores key parts of the Harvard Westlake Sports Campus Application at the Weddington Golf & Tennis location.

TENNIS COURTS

8 of the current 16 tennis courts will be removed.   This will not benefit the community, but their Application confirms that the project will “… conserve, maintain, and better utilize existing and park facilities which promote the recreational experience.” How is removing 8 tennis courts “conserving” and “maintaining” them?

Harvard-Westlake’s Application states the tennis courts will be open and available Monday to Friday, 7 am – 8 pm and Saturday and Sunday 7 am – 6 pm.  The public may reserve a court through a reservation system only when they are not in use by Harvard-Westlake. What about the present system where public schools can block book sixteen courts? The removal and privatization of the tennis courts will disproportionately hurt low-income and middle-class public school students.

These highly valued courts are used by tennis enthusiasts from Studio City and throughout Southern California.  It is a serious loss to the community when 50% of the tennis courts are not replaced under the proposed HW Sports Campus and the vacated land will be used to enlarge their Sports Campus. 

According to the United States Tennis Association:   “Southern California has always been synonymous with tennis. Participating in tennis comes with many health and fitness benefits. Playing competitively burns more calories than some other popular exercises, including aerobics. There are many physical reasons to play tennis, and they help with fitness and improved health.”

(https://www.usta.com/en/home/improve/tennis-health)

* The above is based on the initial Application filed with the Department of City Planning by Harvard Westlake. We will keep you updated as the process moves forward.

 

We welcome your comments and encourage you to do what you can. Forward this email to your friends and neighbors and contacting likeminded tennis enthusiasts and associations.  Should you have any questions, please email us at SaveOpenSpace2020@gmail.com and we will respond to you.

If you have missed any of these weekly emails, you can find our series of emails on our website, www.StudioCityResidents.org.

*****

 Volunteers Welcomed!

 

The Harvard Westlake Sports Campus has the potential of disrupting the residential area around it and impacting already notorious traffic patterns. Save LA River and the Studio City Residents Association are seeking the best result possible and, we are looking for volunteers for specific areas:

    • Use your contact list to notify your neighbors
    • Help put out lawn signs / distribute flyers
    • Create graphics for flyers
    • Expertise in technology
    • AND any other talent that you can bring to the table

 

For information and updates visit www.savelariveropenspace.org

 

Next week: GYM / SPECTATORS