RECOMMENDATION:

THAT the staff report entitled “Request To Establish Tennis Club at Highgate Park”, dated May 10, 2004, be received;

AND THAT the request from Mr. Garth Morris to establish a tennis club at Highgate Park be approved.

PURPOSE:

To present Mr. Garth Morris’ request to establish a tennis club at the existing public courts at Highgate Park.

BACKGROUND:

Highgate Park is located on Highgate Drive between Birchmount Road and Kennedy Road, north of Steeles Avenue (See map - Attachment A). The Milliken Mills Tennis Club was an established tennis club at Highgate Park prior to 2000. By 2001, the club could not meet its financial commitments related to court surfacing. As a result, the club folded in 2001 and the Town absolved their debt (See Attachment B).

A request has been received from Mr. Garth Morris, to establish a new tennis club at Highgate Park. The Town’s existing Tennis Court Development and Maintenance Policy requires a club to provide a minimum of 100 signatures (per court) of individuals who agree to take out a club membership if the club is established. Highgate Park has three courts, and Mr. Morris has submitted 300 signatures of individuals willing to join this new club. Of the 300 signatures, 255 are Markham residents and 45 are of individuals residing outside of Markham.

Mr. Morris is satisfied with the current condition of the courts and does not feel there is any need for repairs or capital improvement at this time. He has also indicated that he will work with Highgate Public School and the community to encourage participation within the tennis club, and will abide by all terms and conditions of the Town’s Tennis Club Policy (See Attachment C).

OPTIONS/DISCUSSION:

In order to solicit public input, the Operations Department utilized the public consultation process established for the renaming of Paramount Park in 2002. In March of this year a notification was sent to residents within a 133 metre (400’) radius of Highgate Park (See map – Attachment A). The notification included a letter from the Town outlining the proposal to establish the tennis club at Highgate Park and a letter from Mr. Morris explaining his position (See Attachment D & E). The purpose of the letters was to provide residents with information and to give residents an opportunity to provide the Town with feedback regarding the request. The public consultation process resulted in notification to Highgate Public School, and 322 households.

Staff received six responses from the Highgate community residents. One resident was in agreement with Mr. Morris’ proposal, and the remaining five residents responded expressing concerns about turning publicly funded courts into a private tennis club that would not allow residents to play free of charge whenever they wished. A letter has been sent to these residents to notify them of the date and time of the Community Services and Council meetings to allow them the opportunity to address the Committee, and/or Council (See Attachment F). A follow-up letter from Mr. Morris has also be sent to the five residents expressing concerns, further outlining the clubs proposal and fee structure for their consideration (See Attachment G).

The Town of Markham has 31 club-operated courts at six locations, and 22 publicly operated courts at nine locations as follows:

Tennis Court Inventory

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

Staff received five responses from residents expressing concerns about the proposal out of 322 households circulated. Further explanation of the proposal was provided to these residents, and they have been provided with the opportunity to speak to this issue at the Community Services Committee and/or Council. Based on this information, staff recommend that the Town of Markham work with Mr. Morris, to establish the club under the Town’s existing Tennis Court Development and Maintenance Policy.

FINANCIAL CONSIDERATIONS:

The new tennis club at Highgate Park will be required to cover the cost of maintenance of the following items, based on the current Town of Markham Tennis Court Development and Maintenance Policy. As a result, the Town should realize some savings in annual operating costs that may be offset by increased demands (i.e. surface quality and life cycle) on resurfacing and improvements.

50% resurfacing/improvements (minimum once every five years)
100% maintenance of lights and fences
100% annual hydro costs

ATTACHMENTS:

Attachment A – Map of Highgate Park & Notification Area

Attachment B – Excerpt from the minutes of the council meeting held on Mar 20^th, 2001

Attachment C – Town of Markham Tennis Court Development and Maintenance Policy

Attachment D – Highgate Tennis Club Notification Letter from Town of Markham

Attachment E – Mr. Morris’ letter to the Highgate Park Community

Attachment F – Community Services and Council Meeting Notification Letter

Attachment G – Follow-up letter from Mr. Morris

Paul Ingham,

General Manager, Operations

Peter Loukes, P. Eng.

Director, Operations and Asset Management

Jim Sales,

Commissioner of Community & Fire Services

Q:\Envsrv\PARKS\Reports\2004\Report Highgate Tennis Club.doc

		COMMUNITY SERVICES & ENVIRONMENT COMMITTEE


	TO:	Mayor and Members of Council

	FROM:	Paul Ingham, General Manager, Operations

	PREPARED BY:	Mark Ingwersen, Manager, Parks Maintenance

	DATE OF MEETING:	May 10, 2004

	SUBJECT:	Request To Establish Tennis Club at Highgate Park