- Background -

The Mill Bay Community League Tennis Club is affiliated with the Mill Bay Community League.

The club was founded in 1992 by a small group of local enthusiasts who made an agreement with the Mill Bay Community League to use the courts behind Kerry Park Arena in exchange for maintenance and management. This agreement, in a modified form, continues to this day. Over the past 18 years the Club has steadily grown from about 20 members to over 120 today. Many of those original members still take an active part in the Club.

Originally tennis was offered in the summer season only; now we have a year round program by using the indoor tennis facility at Arbutus Ridge. The founders of the club emphasized a friendly atmosphere for social and competitive play open to all members of the Mill Bay community and our neighbours. That philosophy remains today.

As part of the 1958 Centennial Year, the community built the first tennis court for Mill Bay on land owned by the Mill Bay Community League (the MBCL) not far from the present location of our courts. It is still located under the Kerry Park Arena lower parking lot. You can actually detect it in spots. Some government grants were provided but it was built with local volunteers and the community was proud that they incurred no debt.

The current courts were built in the 1970's as part of the contract that the Mill Bay Community League negotiated with the CVRD for supplying the land for the Arena. Our present CVRD Area Director, Brian Harrison, was at that time the young President of the MBCL and spearheaded the negotiations. Once again, the community acquired a tennis facility at no cost.

Several groups were formed over the years to play tennis but the most enduring and successful has been the current club. With the close association between the tennis community and the MBCL going back to 1958, it made sense to continue such a relationship.

THE MILL BAY COMMUNITY LEAGUE

On October 23, 1945, the inaugural meeting of the Mill Bay Community League (MBCL) was held with 64 people present. The League was formed with the object of furthering the advancement of community interest for the welfare of all. The MBCL was incorporated under the Society Act of British Columbia in March, 1948.

The first project was to find a place to hold meetings and later to build a hall. Although a small building was found and moved to a lot on Deloume Road efforts to purchase that property failed and the League looked elsewhere. Mr. George Frayne donated a half acre lot on Shawnigan-Mill Bay Road, and he offered to sell a block of 19 acres for $1,600. The League did not have the funds and there was little prospect of raising such a sum.
Mr. John Kerry purchased this property, only asking that the League pay off the debt at $100. per year; and he (Mr. Kerry) would pay the taxes. When Mr. Kerry died, in his will he forgave the League its debt. It is therefore most fitting that his name is permanently remembered in our JOHN KERRY PARK.

A building (the first Sylvania School) was bought and moved to the site in John Kerry Park. In February, 1956, after many hours of volunteer labour, it took on a new lease in life as The Mill Bay Community Hall – not the League Hall but the Community Hall.

The hall was soon put to good use and the meetings held produced desirable changes in the district. Mill Bay Water Works was started by members of the League. The MBCL took over the firefighting equipment of the Civil Defence Guild and this evolved into the present day Mill Bay Volunteer Fire Department.

Part of John Kerry Park was made into the Centennial Tennis Courts, and a ballpark was built.

In 1973, the Kerry Park Recreational Centre (arena) was built on 4.03 acres of land leased from the League on a 99 year term at rent of $1.00 per year – a very valuable concession to the public.

Then in September, 1983, the hall was totally destroyed by fire. A new hall would rise on the old foundation. The fire insurance was insufficient to cover the total cost so money was raised from a big yard sale and donations. The new hall was opened in 1984. Life Members Adelaide Ellis and Evelyn McGrade cut the ribbon at the opening ceremony. Thanks to the generous response to fund raising efforts, the very valuable volunteer work and the work and competence of the planning committee, the new hall was opened with no appreciable encumbrances on it – a splendid effort by the people of Mill Bay.From the start, the hall has been rent free for Guides, Scouts and Brownies. Now certain non-profit organizations and seniors groups receive free or reduced rental rates. Another project started in the hall was The Mill Bay Carpet Bowlers. They have proved very successful indeed – fielding a team that became the Senior Carpet Bowls of British Columbia.

The hall became so popular that the Executive Council had to meet in the kitchen or in a Director’s home. On September 4, 1989 ground was broken for the construction of a hall “Addition” (office, conference room, washroom and janitor’s room). As with the hall, part of the money required was raised through generous contributions of the people of Mill Bay. The Addition was opened on February 6, 1990.

The hall is used for classes in dancing, aerobics, Tai-Chi, carpet bowling, meetings (Community Policing, Mill Bay Garden Club, Lake Bay Hill Hospital Auxiliary, etc.), banquets, receptions, concerts and so forth.

It was a MBCL Committee that succeeded in getting the Vancouver Island Regional Library to build the area library in Mill Bay. For many years the MBCL encouraged local artists by hosting an Annual Art Show and Sale. The Christmas Variety Show is a favourite and well it should be. In an emergency (earthquake e.g.) the Community Hall becomes the Operations Centre; a generator is in place and the necessary wiring to accommodate communications equipment has been installed.

O.K. you say, but “What does it do”? The short, but unhelpful answer, could be, “Come to our meetings, join the League ($5.), and find out”.

The League:

• Maintains the Community Hall;
• Maintains the Kerry Park including 2 tennis courts and a 1.1 km Nature Trail; and
• Publishes the Mill Bay Messenger and distributes it (free) to all households.

But, to me, the most important “thing” that the League “does” is COMMUNICATIONS. Very seldom does the League take a stand on a specific item. Rather, the League provides a meeting place, a sounding board, where issues of moment can or should be discussed. Often guest speakers or your Area Director have information to pass on so that you can form your own opinion and hear/discuss the opinions of others.

Everyone is always welcome at League meetings.