Shiretown group getting out the votes

PICTOU – Voting is going well for the Highland Tennis Association in a contest with a brewing company to secure funding for its proposed tennis courts in Pictou.
As of Tuesday, the association had 163 votes in the Molson Community Cheer Contest, and association members are optimistic they can achieve their goal.
“We need 225 votes by Feb. 17 to be considered for funding,” Margo Hilchey says. “We now have more votes than any other project in Nova Scotia.”
The contest requires one vote per person and all groups that reach 225 votes will be evaluated and Molson will support 20 of the 64 ideas entered.
To vote for new tennis courts in Pictou people can go to www.ourcommunitycheer.com and select The Highland Tennis Association.
The association has raised more than $70,000 as it tries to revive tennis in Pictou.
The previous facility beside the Hector Arena had not been used for more than 10 years due to safety concerns.
The group’s goal is to build two fenced courts in a community park for public use and to offer programming and competitions within the county.
A large number of people of all ages utilized the previous courts through programs and events such as adult team tennis and ladder tournaments.
Association president Rod McDowell says tennis has been experiencing a rise in popularity of late.
He referred to the Sports and Manufacturer’s Association’s figures that show participation in tennis over the past decade has grown by 43 per cent.
The group hopes to begin constructing the courts this spring and expects to have more than 150 members playing tennis in Pictou, while improving the participation rate within the entire county.