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Club History

In the year 1897, the Vancouver Lawn Tennis Club came into existence. A meeting of those interested in forming a tennis club with grounds of its own was held in the Hotel Vancouver.

Property was acquired in the West End on Barclay Street, between Denman and Bidwell Streets, with grass courts, cinder courts and a croquet lawn. Here, ladies in ankle length skirts and high-necked blouses played decorous croquet and tennis. Here, too, the great American player, Bill Johnston, won the Mainland Championship; the late E.J.H. Cardinall, our local "Mr. Tennis", won five successive City Singles titles (1908, 1909, 1910, 1911, 1912): and D.S. Montgomery and B.P. Schwengers won titles in the Canadian Championships in 1913.

Club Members of this period read like a list of Vancouver's leading families in the business and social life of the time: Springer, Boultbee, Crickmay, Heathcote, C. Gardner Johnson, Harvey, Cambie, Tatlow, Townsend, Cave-Browne-Cave, Senkler, Marani, Marpole, Malkin, Bell-Irving, Beecher, Jukes.

After negotiations for the purchase of land from the Canadian Pacific Railway, the Club moved to its present premises on the corner of Fir Street and 16th Avenue in 1914. Turf for the first grass courts came from the garden of Col. Victor Spencer. The Club had nine grass courts, four clay courts, and two croquet lawns. These croquet lawns were changed later into grass and clay tennis courts.

In 1928, an addition was made to the Club building for badminton courts, the Badminton Hall being the first one specially designed in the world. The name of the Club was then changed to the Vancouver Lawn Tennis & Badminton Club.

During the years of great depression in the thirties, Club Directorates struggled with financial problems of purchase and maintenance that seemed hopeless, and many prominent club members of that period contributed money for nominal shares knowing that they would receive no financial return. The Club owes a deep debt of thanks to the Canadian Pacific Railway Company for its generous handling of the Club's financial obligations. Because of the devoted liaison work of Club executives Michael Greaves and Newton J. Ker (who were also C.P.R. officials), the Club weathered the storm and, in 1947, under the presidency of S.V.T. Jeffery, the final payment was made and the property became debt free.

Under the Presidency of Colin Walker, plans for a swimming pool and a new clubhouse were drawn up. In 1956 the swimming pool was built and, in May 1957, the present clubhouse at the corner of 15th Avenue and Fir Street was formally opened.

During Eric Beardmore's Presidency, work on a new addition containing two squash courts, the Players' Lounge, locker rooms and the bar was started in December 1960, and was formally opened in September 1961.

In June 1969, under the Presidency of Bill Crawford, work commenced on the addition to the Club facilities that added singles and doubles squash courts, covering of the pool for winter swimming, and four indoor and four roof tennis courts. The new facilities were formally opened by His Honour Mr. J. R. Nicholson, Lieutenant Governor of B.C. on September 19, 1970.

In 1975, four grass courts and one hard court were replaced with four porous concrete courts covered by a "bubble" for the winter months.

In 1984, the remaining four grass courts were replaced with a synthetic fibre surface for year round play. The Club now has sixteen tennis courts (four permanent indoor and four under a bubble in the winter), three singles and one double squash courts, six badminton courts and a swimming pool.

Under the Presidency of P. Jackson, in 1993 the main floor of the Clubhouse was completely renovated, with an exercise room added to compliment the other playing facilities.

Under the Presidency of B. Gandossi, a major renovation to the Clubhouse was started which included the addition of underground parking, 4 fast dry hydro courts (clay), and updated locker rooms.

During the tenure of Presidents N. Perkins and E. Cameron, the Player’s Lounge was renovated in 2002, which set the standard for future improvements. In 2004, a building improvement plan was proposed, and work continues today to implement a long range improvement plan for the Club. In 2005 the Club became debt free after paying off the mortgage created in 1997 a full six months early.

In our over 100 years, the Club has established treasured Club traditions. They include:

White court apparel
Tudor style clubhouse
Private, discreet and exclusive Club
Wassail
Generations of family members
Competitive tennis, squash and badminton programs
Wednesday/Sunday Family nights
Christmas at the Club
Fresh flowers
Bubbles
Snake Room
Long service employees
Highly reputable racquet Pros

Over the years, many of the world's greatest players in badminton, tennis and squash have played on our courts. Our members have every right to be proud of our history and traditions, and to be grateful to the long line of executives who have all contributed to the Vancouver Lawn Tennis & Badminton Club as we know it today.

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