Council needs to keep its eye on the ball

I refer to the news item (June 30) about action being taken to eliminate eyesores from sensitive areas in Rabat and Mdina. Among the eyesores annoying residents and visitors alike as mentioned in the article is the tennis court which lies below the pathway leading to the Silent City, falling under the responsibility of the Mdina local council. In contrast to the recent restoration works that were carried out on the façade of the old city's entrance, the adjacent tennis court was left in a shabby state with paint peeling off the floor, leaving the markings almost irrecognisable. Also, most of the court's surface is uneven and bumpy, making it difficult to play on. The lack of proper lighting equipment is also a major drawback and limits considerably the chance for patrons to make use of the tennis court.

Surprisingly, the Mdina mayor said that if the council sees more interest from people in using this court, something permanent would be done to rectify the situation. Let's put it bluntly: as it stands, the tennis court is not practical and attractive to either current or prospective users and thus, interest is more likely to dwindle rather than rise. How can the council expect people to show more interest in this place if it has been in this pitiful state for so many years? Only if the council dedicates more attention to such an asset and allocates more financial resources to it could it encourage people to show further interest in this place.

Nonetheless, replacing the net was a good start but clearly more has to be done to make this recreational facility more attractive and practical to use.