Salmon Arm city council voted to guarantee a loan for the Salmon Arm Tennis Club at their Nov. 14 meeting.
Council’s decision comes after the deadline for residents to oppose the city’s plan to co-sign a loan supporting the construction of indoor tennis courts passed on Oct. 28.
A petition signed by 10 per cent of the city’s electorate, in this case 1,336, would have been required to overturn the city’s decision. Only four petitions were received. Council originally voted in August to co-sign a $750,000 loan for the tennis club to construct two indoor tennis courts at their existing facility near Little Mountain Park.
“Having looked at the plan and knowing the quality of the people involved in the plan, I can’t see this failing. I really have confidence in this group and their ability to borrow the money and pay it back,” said Coun. Ken Jamieson.
Winston Pain and Ken Hecker of the Salmon Arm Tennis Club told council about their open house, which they used as an opportunity to inform the public about their plans for the facility.
“What we found is there are a lot of people out there who are for it,” Pain said.
Hecker says the club hopes to start construction of the indoor courts by early spring.
Hecker said the club was hesitant to proceed with fundraising until they knew they could count on the loan.
The club plans to apply for several different grants to help fund the construction of the indoor facility.
At the time of their initial request for a loan guarantee from the city the club had already raised $390,455 and planned to raise another $383,458.
“We hope we will be able to hit the courts indoors by next winter,” Hecker said.