About Garneau

In 1926 Harry Ainlay, principal of the Garneau Public School, convinced the city to allocate a block of land for recreation use, between 83rd and 84th Avenues and 109th and 110th Streets. 
Four shale tennis courts were built on the land, using volunteer labour. The following year a small clubhouse was built, to be used by skaters in the winter and tennis players in the summer. The skating rink was located where the Cafe Select now stands. In 1929 the Garneau Community League Tennis Club was founded. Two additional shale tennis courts were built some time before 1950, and two asphalt courts were added in the 1980s.
The Garneau Community League built a multi-use facility adjacent to the tennis courts in the 1970s. The building included squash and racquetball courts. Unfortunately the league entered a period of financial instability and could not sustain operation of the new building. In 1990, tennis players incorporated the Garneau Tennis Club as a not-for-profit organization, and the operation of the club was made separate from that of the community league. The community league agreed to lease the tennis courts to the club.