A doubling of the number of people wanting to play tennis at the Australian Italian Club’s tennis courts motivated an application to instal lights at the Prospect Vale courts.

Meander Valley Council approved an application to install the $55,000 lights and now all the club needs is government funding to be approved.

AIC Tennis Club president Robyn Hanson said player numbers at the club had increased from 30 to 60 in the past three years.

‘A few years ago we started a twilight roster for people who wanted to play after work, but in the early part of daylight saving we are running out of light,’ she said.

‘We’ve had to rent extra courts from the Casino and for our winter President’s Cup tournament we went to Tennis World near the Kmart.

‘We desperately need lights to accommodate new players.’

The club’s need highlights a community tennis trend away from weekend tennis towards evening tennis.

‘When seven-day trading came in weekend tennis dropped off. More women were working as well,’ Ms Hanson said.

‘During COVID people were looking for more exercise and wanted to play after 6pm.

‘We have husbands and wives playing together, as well as children. We’re a family club.’

Club captain Christine Gleeson said the new joiners were a younger set, male and female.

She said the AIC Club, 40 years old in March this year, has applied for a grant from Improving the Playing Field Grants Program, and will contribute $15,000 from club funds.

The lights will be on six poles seven metres high and will not be permitted to operate before 8am or after 10pm. The supplier is Deloraine based company, Decrolux.

The club will know if its grant application is successful in late November.