GENERAL COMMITTEE–COMMUNITY SERVICES & ENVIRONMENT
	TO:	Mayor and Members of Council
	FROM:	Paul Ingham, General Manager, Operations
	PREPARED BY:	Mark Ingwersen, Manager, Parks Maintenance
	DATE OF MEETING:	January 9, 2006
	SUBJECT:	Tennis Club Policy Update

RECOMMENDATION:

THAT the staff report entitled “Tennis Club Policy Update,” dated January 9^th, 2006, be received;

AND THAT based on the results of monitoring the Highgate Tennis Courts over 2 playing seasons, the amendments to Section F of the “Tennis Court Development and Maintenance Policy” (see Attachment ‘A’) to require new clubs to provide 6 prime time hours of public tennis at no cost to residents, be approved;

AND FURTHER THAT clubs in existence prior to 2003 be “grandfathered” in under the old policy.

PURPOSE:

Council, at its meeting held on May 25, 2004, requested staff to report back on the public access portion of the Tennis Court Development and Maintenance Policy to improve the balance between private and public access.

BACKGROUND:

The Town of Markham has 34 club-operated courts at seven locations, and 19 publicly operated courts at eight locations as follows:

Tennis Court Inventory

# of Courts	Location	Major Intersection	Type
4	Armadale Park	Denison Street and McCowan Road	Club
3	Bayview Fairways	John Street and Leslie Street	Public
2	Bayview Glen Park	Bayview Avenue and Laureleaf Road	Public
2	Box Grove Park	14^th Avenue and Ninth Line	Club
4	German Mills	John Street and Simonston Boulevard	Club
2	Grandview Park	Doncaster Road and Henderson Avenue	Public
3	Highgate Park	Denison Street and Birchmount Road	Club
2	Johnsview Park	John Street and Bayview Avenue	Public
6	Reesor Park	Highway #7 and Wooten Way	Club
2	Morgan Park	Markham Road and Highway #7	Public
6	Pomona Valley	John Street and Bayview Avenue	Club
2	Robinson Park	Highway #7 and Robinson Street	Public
4	Thornlea Secondary School	Bayview Avenue and Highway #7	Public
2	Toogood Park	Fred Varley Drive and Sciberras Drive	Public
9	Carlton Park	Carlton Road and Warden Avenue	Club

In 2004, staff received a request to establish a tennis club at Highgate Park. Representatives for the proposed club presented a proposal that met all the terms of the current policy, including a list of potential members of which over 75% were residents of the Town of Markham. When considering approval of the new private club, Council received requests from local residents to consider increased public access to these courts during prime time hours. As a result, Council approved the request for the new club subject to the Highgate Tennis Club providing 6 prime time hours per week to the public, at no cost. Staff has monitored the Highgate Tennis Club over the past 2 playing seasons, and no complaints have been received regarding public hours at the Highgate courts.

OPTIONS/DISCUSSION:

The existing Tennis Court Development and Maintenance Policy requires private clubs to provide 4 prime time hours of play to the public each week at a cost not to exceed $5.00 per hour. Previous to the request for the new club at Highgate Park, staff had not received any complaints regarding the established hours at any of the tennis clubs in existence. Consideration should be given to “grandfather” in any clubs in existence prior to 2003 under the old policy, and require Highgate and any new clubs formed to provide 6 prime time hours of tennis to the public at no cost. In a location with 3 tennis courts this would result in a total of 18 hours of public use during prime time each week.

In addition, it is recommended that the entire tennis club policy be reviewed by the Strategic Services section of the Community and Fire Services Commission to investigate revenue opportunities and align the policy more closely with the sportsfield permits and current Recreation Master Plan initiatives. The Master Plan may then be used as an instrument to determine future requirements for both private club and public tennis courts, as new parks and amenities are constructed in the urban expansion areas.

Based on Council’s recommendations regarding public hours and cost for the new Highgate Tennis Club, staff recommend that Section F of the “Tennis Court Development and Maintenance Policy” be amended as outlined in Attachment ‘A’ to provide 6 prime time hours of public tennis at no cost to residents for any new clubs established from this point forward.

ATTACHMENTS:

Attachment ‘A’ – Amendment to Section F of the Tennis Court Development and Maintenance Policy

Paul Ingham, General Manager, Operations

Peter Loukes, P. Eng. Director, Operations and Asset Management

Jim Sales,

Commissioner of Community & Fire Services

Q:\Commission Share\Operations and Asset Management\Reports\2006\Operations\Parks\Tennis Club Policy Update .doc

ATTACHMENT ‘A’

Tennis Court Development and Maintenance Policy

Section F. Public Access:

(a) Public Access for Clubs Established Prior to 2003

1. Each club will provide 4 prime time court hours per week for public access in 2 two-hour blocks or 1 four-hour block.

Prime-time is: Lighted Courts: - Weekdays: 6:30 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.

Weekends: 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

Unlit Courts: - Weekdays: 6:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.

Weekends: 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

2. Court fees may be charged by the club for public access. These fees are not to exceed $5.00 per hour per person.

3. Club rules and regulations apply to public participants as outlined in the respective clubs.

4. Signage promoting public access times at each club location to be posted. Signs to be produced by the Town according to information submitted by the club.

(b) Public Access for Clubs Established After 2003

1. Each club will provide 6 prime time hours per week for public access in 3 two-hour

blocks or 2 three-hour blocks.

Prime-time is: Lighted Courts: - Weekdays: 6:30 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.

Weekends: 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

Unlit Courts: - Weekdays: 6:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.

Weekends: 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

5. There will be no fees charged by the club for public access during these times.

6. Club rules and regulations apply to public participants as outlined in the respective clubs.

7. Signage promoting public access times at each club location to be posted. Signs to be produced by the Town according to information submitted by the club.