Honing Tennis Skills Doesn’t Have to Be Costly

Tennis has the reputation of being a country club activity, enjoyed mainly by those who can afford to build their own backyard court or pay exorbitant fees for membership at a posh resort.

It’s only a myth. And to help debunk the idea, here’s a list of more than 100 public tennis facilities where tennis can be played for free. The ledger is made up of public courts--most of them parks--that are owned, leased or managed by cities and counties. A few sites charge a nominal hourly fee, as indicated.

AGOURA HILLS

* Agoura High School, 28545 W. Driver Ave. Except during school hours.

ARLETA

* Branford Recreation Center, 13310 Branford St., (818) 893-4923.

BURBANK

* Brace Canyon Park, 2901 Haven Way.

* McCambridge Park, 1515 N. Glenoaks Blvd., (818) 843-4105.

* Mountain View Park, 751 S. Griffith Park Dr.

* Olive/George Izay Park, 1111 W. Olive Ave.

* Pacific Park, 3715 Pacific Ave.

* Valley Park, 1625 N. Valley St.

* Verdugo Park, 3201 W. Verdugo Ave.

CALABASAS

* Gates Canyon Park, 25801 Thousand Oaks Blvd.

CAMARILLO

* Mission Oaks Park, 5501 Mission Oaks Blvd., (805) 482-1996.

* Pleasant Valley Park, 1030 Temple Ave., (805) 482-1996.

* Valle Lindo Park, 889 Aileen St., (805) 482-1996.

CANOGA PARK

* John Quimby Park, 7008 De Soto Ave.

* Lanark Park, 21816 Lanark St., (818) 883-1503.

CHATSWORTH

* Chatsworth Park South, 22360 Devonshire St., (818) 341-6595.

CRESCENTA VALLEY

* Crescenta Valley High School, 4400 Ramsdell Ave. Except during school hours.

ENCINO

* Balboa Sports Center, 17015 Burbank Blvd., (818) 756-9642. Hourly fees: $4 weekdays, $6 nights and weekends.

* Encino Park, 16953 Ventura Blvd.

FILLMORE

* Fillmore High School, 555 Central Ave. Except during school hours.

GLENDALE

* Central Park Tennis Courts, 201 E. Colorado St. Hourly fee: $4.50 after 4 p.m. Monday-Friday and all day Saturday and Sunday. (818) 246-4550.

* Emerald Isle Park, 2130 Lenore Dr.

* Fremont Park, 600 W. Hahn Ave. Hourly fee: $4.50 after 4 p.m. Monday-Friday and all day Saturday and Sunday. (818) 241-6022.

* Glenoaks Park, 2531 E. Glenoaks Blvd.

* Glorietta Park, 2801 N. Verdugo Rd.

* Maple Park, 820 E. Maple St., (818) 548-3783.

* Montrose Park, 3529 Clifton Pl.

* Nibley Park, 1103 E. Mountain St.

* Oakmont View Park, 2940 Oakmont View Dr.

* Pacific Park, 501 S. Pacific Ave.

* Scholl Canyon Golf & Tennis, 3800 East Glenoaks Blvd., (818) 243-4100.

* Glendale College, 1500 N. Verdugo Rd. Except during school hours.

* Glendale High School, 1440 E. Broadway. Except during school hours.

* Hoover High School, 651 Glenwood Rd. Except during school hours.

GRANADA HILLS

* Granada Hills Recreation Center, 16730 Chatsworth St., (818) 363-3556.

LA CANADA

* Cornishon Tennis Courts, 4490 Cornishon Ave.

* Glenhaven Park, 1918 Parkdale Pl.

LAKEVIEW TERRACE

* Lakeview Terrace Park, 11075 Foothill Blvd., (818) 899-8087.

LANCASTER

* Lancaster City Park, 43011 N. 10th St. West, (805) 945-1769. Hourly fees: $3-4.

* El Dorado Park, 44501 N. 5th St. East.

* Jane Reynolds Park, 716 Oldfield.

MALIBU

* Malibu High School, 30215 Morning View Dr. Except during school hours.

MOORPARK

* Tierra Rejada Park, 365 Tierra Rejada Rd.

* Moorpark High School, 4500 Tierra Rejada Rd. Except during school hours.

* Moorpark College, 7075 Campus Rd. Except during school hours.

NEWBURY PARK

* Borchard Park, 190 Reino Rd.

NORTH HOLLYWOOD

* North Hollywood Recreation Center, 5301 Tujunga Ave., (818) 763-7651.

* Valley Plaza Recreation Center, 12240 Archwood St., (818) 765-5885.

* Victory-Vineland Recreation Center, 11112 Victory Blvd., (818) 985-9516.

NORTHRIDGE

* Dearborn Park, 17141 Nordhoff St.

* Northridge Park/Devonshire House, 10058 Reseda Blvd., (818) 349-7341.

OAK PARK

* Oak Park High School, 899 Kanan Rd.

* Mae Boyar Park, 130 N. Kanan Rd.

* Indian Springs Park, 4800 Rockfield St.

OJAI

* Libbey Park, Ojai Avenue in downtown Ojai.

* Soule Park, 1301 Soule Park Dr.

OXNARD

* Beck Park, 600 W. Kamala St.

* College Estates Park, 1400 Gary Dr.

* Carty Park, 3900 S. ‘F’ St.

* Community Center Park West, 801 Hobson Way. Daily fee: $5.

* Durley Park, 800 W. Hill St.

* Fremont Park, 1130 N. ‘M’ St.

* Lemonwood Park, 2055 E. San Mateo Pl.

* Marina West Park, 1300 S. Novato Dr.

* Orchard Park, 2103 Edelweiss St.

* Peninsula Park, 3333 S. Peninsula Rd.

* Pleasant Valley Park, 4501 Justin Way

* Seaview Park, 1001 S. Offshore St.

* South Winds Park, 455 W. Clara St.

* Via Marina Park, 3301 Keel Way

* Wilson Park, 255 W. Palm Dr.

* Sierra Linda Park, 1040 Indigo Pl.

PALMDALE

* Desert Sands Park, 39117 3rd St. East, (805) 267-5611.

* Marie Kerr Park, 39700 39th St. West, (805) 267-5611.

* Domenic Massari Park, 37716 55th St. East, (805) 267-5611.

* McAdam Park, 38115 30th St. East, (805) 267-5611.

PACOIMA

* Ritchie Valens Park, 10736 Laurel Canyon Blvd., (818) 834-5172.

PANORAMA CITY

* Panorama Recreation Center, 8600 Hazeltine Ave., (818) 893-3401.

* Sepulveda Recreation Center, 8801 Kester Ave., (818) 893-3700.

PORT HUENEME

* Moranda Park, 200 Moranda Parkway, (805) 986-6584.

RESEDA

* Reseda Recreation Center, 18411 Victory Blvd., (818) 881-3882.

SAN FERNANDO

* Las Palmas Park, 505 S. Huntington St., (818) 888-7340.

* Pioneer Park, 828 N. Harding St.

SANTA PAULA

* Santa Paula High School, 404 N. 6th St. Except during school hours.

SAUGUS

* Bouquet Glen Park, 28127 Wellston Dr.

SIMI VALLEY

* Rancho Simi Community Park, 1765 Royal Ave., (805) 584-4456.

STUDIO CITY

* Studio City Recreation Center, 12621 Rye St., (818) 769-4415.

SUN VALLEY

* Sun Valley Recreation Center, 8133 Vineland Ave., (818) 767-6151.

* Sunland Park and Recreation Center, 8651 Foothill Blvd., (818) 352-5282.

THOUSAND OAKS

* Estella Park, 300 Erbes Rd.

* Thousand Oaks Community Park, 2525 N. Moorpark Rd.

* Triunfo Neighborhood Park, 980 Aranmoor Ave.

* Wildflower Park, 635 Avenida De Los Arboles.

SYLMAR

* El Cariso Park, 13100 Hubbard St., (818) 367-7050. Hourly fee: $5.50.

* Sylmar Park, 13109 Borden Ave., (818) 367-5656.

VALENCIA

* Valencia Glen Park, 23750 Via Gavola.

VAL VERDE

* Val Verde Park, 30300 W. Arlington Rd., (805) 257-4014. Hourly fee: $5.50.

VAN NUYS

* Van Nuys Recreation Center, 14301 Vanowen St., (818) 756-8131.

* Van Nuys-Sherman Oaks Park, 14201 Huston St., (818) 783-5121. Hourly fees: $4 weekdays, $6 nights and weekends.

VENTURA

* Camino Real Park, corner of Varsity Street and Dean Drive.

* Juanamaria Park, corner of Kimball Road and Loma Vista Road.

* Buena High School, 5670 Telegraph Rd. Except during school hours.

* Ventura High School, 2155 E. Main St. Except during school hours.

* Anacapa Middle School, 100 Mills Rd. Except during school hours.

* Balboa Middle School, 247 S. Hill Rd. Except during school hours.

* Cabrillo Middle School, 1426 E. Santa Clara St. Except during school hours.

* Harry A. Lyons Park, 2060 Cameron Ave.

WEST HILLS

* Knapp Ranch, 25000 Kittridge St., (818) 887-9800.

WESTLAKE VILLAGE

* North Ranch Community Park, 1400 N. Westlake Blvd.

WINNETKA

* Runnymede Park, 20200 Runnymede St.

WOODLAND HILLS

* Woodland Hills Park, 5858 Shoup Ave., (818) 883-9370.