Rosedale Honoured

At the OTA annual meeting on April 12th, two Ontario clubs were recognized for outstanding
achievement in 2024. One of them was the Unionville TC in Markham. The other was Rosedale TC in Hamilton. Accepting the award from OTA manager Andrew Chappell were club manager David Orde and president Dave Scott. There’s so much we can say about Rosedale. Most of it is waiting to be incorporated into a special section of our website Library for club histories, but this will be a start.

Rosedale has been a stellar tennis provider and rock-solid part of the Hamilton community for over 100 years, but the year 2024 will stand out in the club’s record books for a long time. Following many years of planning, shovels went into the ground in December 2023, and by early January the old hard courts were gone and work was begun to set up the foundation for the grade beam that would support a new bubble.

The plan was to convert the courts to year-round-indoor. This allowed for a rebuild in a side-by- side formation, rather than the back-to-back necessitated for outdoor play. As well as making the courts available in the winter months, the dome eliminated summer issues such as rain, heat and wind – a benefit for program planning, especially for families who need predictable schedules for children.

It would be hard to overstate how much work is involved in a project of this kind. Club volunteers developed a detailed plan and proposal, then worked closely with the City of Hamilton for the required permissions and to develop a realistic budget. Although the club had built up reserves for several years, there was still a big gap to be filled for the total cost. Applications were made to Trillium and to Tennis Canada, to no avail. The City stepped in with an interest-free loan, and the club took the final step of agreeing to repay almost $1,250,000 over fifteen years.

Throughout the early months of 2024, a steering group met on a regular basis, tracking costs and solving problems. A significant issue turned out to be the city’s electrical services, with the transmission system for Gage Park proving to be outdated and inadequate to support the requirements of the new dome. Once the issue was diagnosed and a remedy devised, there was a lengthy delay for the needed components – part of the lingering supply-chain issues of the pandemic’s after-effects.

Burlington Paving and Ancaster Paving put the finishing touches on the court surfacing in early July, then passed the torch to the Farley Group for the project’s next phase. With their expertise, the courts were ready for indoor play within a few weeks, and the grand opening was held on September 14th. They’re truly spectacular, with beautiful lighting and accessible entry. There’s also a substantial storage unit built in at one end, making the management of lesson supplies and other equipment as efficient as possible.

The new courts have already hosted dozens of OTA tournaments, including all ages and levels. Players and their families have expressed delight at the quality of the facility and of the warmth and hospitality at Rosedale.

Rosedale now has 8 courts year-round (4 hartru and 4 hard), and another 4 outdoor red clay. Over a thousand members play here regularly, while thousands more are happy to play on special occasions and events each year.

As if that wasn’t enough, Rosedale hosted the Billie Jean Cup Champions Tour in July 2024, featuring the trophy and an afternoon of games for 32 girls and 12 coaches. It was another extensive undertaking, with full support from club member volunteers. All the club’s usual events and activities continued throughout the year as well. “Community” gets done at Rosedale as well as anywhere.

It’s not possible to speak about Rosedale Tennis Club without also speaking about Mike Kool. Mike has been Head Professional/Tennis Director for over 30 years. The line of players and coaches who credit him with their success extends out the door and all around Gage Park. In his quiet and unassuming way, Mike encourages and mentors, taking genuine delight in the success of players and coaches who emerge from the Rosedale pipeline like clockwork.

I once asked him about Frances Critchley, a venerable Hamilton coach who preceded him. He replied something to this effect : “When I was a young kid who thought he could be a tennis coach, I tied myself to Frances for about six months, doing everything she asked and trying to imitate everything she did. Then she cut me loose and told me to go do it.” Clearly Mike had absorbed not only Frances’ teaching technique but also her insight and analytical skills, her caring and empathy, her passion for tennis and for service. He had a great foundation to build on and to expand in his own way.

There are literally hundreds of players and coaches who sing Mike’s praises, but one will be given special mention here to illustrate the high esteem in which Mike Kool is held. Henry Choi has recently become the Executive Director of Tennis BC. Here’s a link to a feature article which includes his background at Rosedale : https://www.atptour.com/en/news/diallo-bergs-s-hertogenbosch-2025-final And this link about his appointment by Tennis BC : https://www.tennisbc.org/press-release-tennis-bc-appoints-new-executive-director/

Congratulations to Rosedale TC and to all the players, volunteers and staff who contribute so much for tennis in Hamilton and beyond.