The northern reserve of five acres, Reade Park, was the site of a small clubhouse erected for tennis players by June 1925, when some six grass courts and twelve hard courts were in full use by some 100 players at weekends.
CLG North Tennis Club was formed on 19th August 1925. Reade Park Reserve appears to have been named by 29 September 1926.
In September 1926 it was reported “The Gardens Suburb Commission is fully alive to the advantages to be gained by the provision of recreation facilities of all kind to the residents. Two turf (tennis) courts have been provided and four additional courts are in the course of preparation. In addition there are eight hard courts. Shelter houses with red-tiled roof have been provided. The courts are let to clubs at a nominal rental which covers maintenance and interest charges”.
By June 1928 an additional two grass courts had been established and leased to the Reade Park Tennis Club. By this time the suburb had eight grass, four bitumen and eighteen earth courts, while a Bowling Club was being formed at Reade Park to commence in the 1928-29 season.
At the 1928 General Meeting on Thursday, the Annual Report noted that the Club started three years ago with two earth courts, 23 members and at the end of last season, 1928, had six grass, two earth and two bitumen courts and 122 members.
In the 1927-28 season, their first in the Metropolitan Assoc. the “A” team went Premiers. Two further grass courts were laid down under the GSC supervision last season and the club probably would use these. There were now 138 members and a big waiting list.
By now Reade Park, of about five acres, was surrounded by a hedge, Jacaranda trees and flowering shrubs that were planted four years ago. A small clubhouse existed beneath some old gums that formerly surrounded the Grange Farm Dam (R28.22-10-28).
A 1928 photograph of the “Largest Club in the Commonwealth” by Ballantyne was printed in the “Observer” (?). Another photo by Moore with 96 people of the “largest suburban Tennis club in Australia”, playing membership of 140, and “claims to be the strongest suburban club of the kind in Australia (R32.17-11-28).
A site was selected for the erection of a commodious clubhouse to house the Reade Park Tennis, Bowling, Croquet and Putting Clubs.
A new clubhouse of red brick and green tiles and with separate sections for each of the Reade Park Bowling and Tennis Clubs was to be opened on the Saturday afternoon of 13th February 1932 by Mr S.J. Laidlaw. The building was financed chiefly by Debentures.
