We, the undersigned, ask you directly Archbishop Peter A Comensoli, as the most senior representative of the Catholic Church in Melbourne, to allow the Our Lady of the Nativity Tennis Club to continue to operate after the expiry of the current lease, i.e. December 2022.

We would particularly like to take into account the following:

•  OLNTC has been a continuous part of Parish life since 1962, with third generation players currently actively involved
• The land upon which the tennis courts and clubhouse exist belongs to the Melbourne Archdiocese and any decisions on the use of the facilities rest with the Archdiocese
• The current Parish Administrator has no concrete plans for alternative use of the tennis court precinct
• OLNTC provides a forum for junior parishioners to engage in healthy activity, the Parish provides no outlets or activities for its youth
•  Apart from junior teams, there are eight senior womens’/mens’/ mixed teams playing competitively, (up from six the previous season), enjoying the use of the upgraded facilities after the Covid hiatus
• ShowCourt Tennis hires the courts for tennis lessons before, during and after school for OLN Primary students, as well as employing seven local young people as coaches, with most being ex-OLN Primary students and club members
• OLNTC has over the years fundraised to pay for fencing/ court establishment and repair, lighting, clubhouse and all running costs
• OLNTC pays rent to the Parish, every quarter, at a higher rate than nearby comparable Catholic Parish clubs
• In recent years OLNTC has spent $50,000 on clubrooms renovations and with the Parish Administrator’s blessing, another $58,000 upgrading two courts, completed January 2020

It makes no rational sense to excise this valuable facility from the Parish community.  We implore you to assist us to re-commence negotiations for the continuance of the Club post 2022.