1987: Tennis Instructor Jean Craven leads a class in a forehand volley during practice at the Recreation Centre courts on June 5, 1987. (Red Deer Archives/P11138)

By Josh Hall | @Vancan19

serving up fun this saturday

A retrospective, as the Red Deer Tennis Club welcomes community June 14 to celebrate 125th anniversary

Jun 11, 2025 | 12:25 PM

Started in 1900, the Red Deer Tennis Club is celebrating its 125th anniversary this weekend with a day-long celebration.

The shindig takes place Saturday, June 14, from 12-8 p.m., at the club’s long-time home downtown (4501 47A Avenue), and will be highlighted by the Tennis Alberta Roadshow Event.

The itinerary can be found at the bottom of this story.

As long-time club member Mary Gardiner explains, play happened originally on the city square where there were rough courts.

1934: Members of the Red Deer Tennis Club at a tournament in Red Deer on May 24, 1934. L-R: H.H. Scott; Bill Connell; Nellie Edis; Charles Humber; Lee Nicholls; Mollie Dantiam; Fred Jenner; Frank Thorpe; Evie Nicholls; Nancy Stephenson; Ted Robertson; Gordon Driver; Mrs. Hastie; Mrs. Driver; and Ron Graham. (Red Deer Archives/P4086)

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Two years prior, in 1898, when the city’s population was just 125, tennis enthusiasts were able to play on local grass courts, but it was not yet an organized club.

Back then, membership fees were $3/season for men, and $1/season for ladies.

“In 1919, the Tennis Club was a founding member of the Athletic Association. The Red Deer Golf and Country Club wanted to have the tennis courts at the Golf Club, but the Tennis Club wanted to remain independent and built their courts at the post office site on Ross Street and 49 Avenue,” Gardiner says.

“In 1930, when the club was very active, new courts were built just east of the downtown Co-op Plaza on 47 Avenue. Tennis players then were real keeners, and in 1939 there was a Central Alberta Tennis League. Competition was between Sylvan Lake, Red Deer, Lacombe, Innisfail and Penhold. Unfortunately, World War II came and the membership dwindled.”

The club was revived, and in the 1950s, courts were built at what is today’s Galbraith Park on 55 Street. By 1961, the only two courts left were at the famous ‘green onion’ water tower site.

1975: Children play tennis on the tennis courts at Rotary Recreation Park in Red Deer, Alberta. Visible in the background is the arena and Horton Water Spheroid. (Red Deer Archives/P20582)

Playing there felt like “being on top of the world,” says Gardiner.

Eight hard courts were built around 1967 at the Recreation Centre complex, then four more hard courts were constructed after Red Deer hosted the second ever Alberta Summer Games in 1975.

The rec centre courts were rebuilt in 1990, and in 1998, an upgraded clubhouse and viewing deck were completed.

Then the club launched the Thelma Smith Memorial Tournament in 2009, which is the same year an indoor facility finally became reality.

“The neighbours in the apartment buildings to the west were consulted and we were able to receive their acceptance to install the bubble. The cost of the bubble was around $640,000 and many club members did many things including donating money, fundraising, and installing the insulation by pulling it between the two plastic layers,” Gardiner recalls.

“We did receive a federal grant of $100,000 which helped immensely. It was a great time when the four south courts were covered with a bubble.”

The club paid back the loan over the next seven years, and in 2017 the City paid to resurface the courts.

People from four to 94 currently play there, Gardiner adds, with a total of about 250 members.

Red Deer Tennis Club members Mary Gardiner (left), and doubles partner Narda Playfair of Red Deer County, won gold in the 70+ tennis doubles division at the Alberta 55+ Summer Games in Brooks, in 2023. (Supplied)

“As a testament to the many years of involvement in tennis on a wider level, our junior, adult and senior tennis players compete on a provincial, national, and world level, often bringing home winnings, rankings, and medals of many colours,” she says.

“The Red Deer Tennis Club has a strong junior program with some very promising young players, some of whom attend or have attended university on tennis scholarships. Red Deer Tennis Club has been noted as one of the finest facilities in Alberta and maybe in western Canada.”

More information is at reddeertennis.com.

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