Photo: Chelsea Powrie

After years of playing on cracked and rutted courts, the Penticton Tennis Club has a new surface to play on.

"The members of the club have been raising money for this day for a long time," said Bob Grant, who is responsible for looking after the courts this year.

"Here we are today with brand new courts now, resurfaced. A lady came by the other day and said to me, 'I've been a member here for 20 years, they've never looked this nice.'"

The repair took around eight days, delayed a little due to rain. The club held an official opening and ribbon-cutting ceremony on Thursday evening, attended by Mayor Andrew Jakubeit and 30 or so others. 

Jakubeit and club president Joyce Ericson snipped the ribbon, and volleyed back and forth on one of the new courts.

Former president Jack Shepe was said the courts were looking great. 

"If you'd been here two weeks ago, there were gouges running everywhere, some as big as an inch, inch-and-a-half," he said. 

The courts soon filled up with eager players as the ceremony drew to a close.