The Winnetka Platform Tennis Club (WPTC) and Winnetka Park District (Park District) are delighted to announce the grand opening of two new platform tennis courts at the Platform Tennis Facility, located at 490B Hibbard Road. This exciting addition serves the broader community and, notably, the Winnetka Platform Tennis program, one of the country’s largest platform tennis clubs.
The grand opening celebration of Phase One of this project is scheduled for Friday, January 19, from 5:00 to 6:30 pm and will include refreshments and tours of the new courts.
The Park District and WPTC have worked together since 1978, when residents saw the growing popularity of the sport of platform tennis. Motivated residents raised funds and approached the Park District to install two public platform tennis courts on park district land. Since then, the Park District and WPTC have teamed up to construct an award-winning paddle hut and a total of eight courts through collaboration and fundraising efforts.
“We are thrilled to unveil these two new courts and celebrate the continued growth of platform tennis in our community,” said Colin Cross, Winnetka Platform Tennis Club president. “The continued support of the Winnetka Park District and our generous, dedicated paddle tennis community has made this expansion possible. We look forward to continuing to foster a love for the sport among players of all ages.”
In addition to generous donations from members of the Winnetka Platform Tennis Club, significant financial support for the project was provided by the American Platform Tennis Association, which donated $50,000, and the Chicago Platform Tennis Charities, which donated $20,000.
“We have a unique partnership with the Winnetka Platform Tennis Club that allows the fun of this game to be enjoyed by the Winnetka community and surrounding areas,” said Paul Schwartz, Facility Manager of Winnetka Park District’s Platform Tennis Program. “We have seen the passion for platform tennis grow very quickly. Through the years, new members have flocked to the game, and these new courts were added
to meet the demand. We are proud to have been working alongside WPTC for so many years, resulting in the club becoming a national leader in paddle tennis club membership and overall participation.”
Costa Kutulas, Director of Parks and Maintenance, said this development project has been in the works since 2018 and involved many key leaders in the platform tennis community, from conceptual plans to fundraising efforts.
“Phase One of this expansion project included the construction of the two courts and pathways to connect the courts,” said Kutulas. “Phase Two of the project will include expansion of the paddle tennis hut, more viewing areas, landscaping, and outdoor patio space for additional gathering and activity areas for the growing club. This project would not have been possible without the generous donations from the WPTC and the platform tennis community in Winnetka.”
For more information, please contact Kate Erickson, Marketing + Brand Manager, 847-716-1299 or kerickson@winpark.org