RHTA Tennis Report
RHTA Tennis Report
RHTA Tennis Report
Final
Report
Introduction .............................................................................................................................. 3
The
Town
of
Richmond
Hill
has
undertaken
to
complete
a
tennis
strategy
report
and
have
hired
consulting
firm
JF
Group
(John
Frittenburg)
to
complete
the
tennis
strategy
report.
The
purpose
of
this
report
is
twofold.
First,
to
provide
insight
into
the
current
state
of
tennis
in
Richmond
Hill
and
secondly,
to
contribute
ideas
and
recommendations
on
how
best
to
accommodate
the
growing
demand
for
quality
outdoor
and
indoor
tennis
facilities
in
Richmond
Hill.
This
report
is
authored
by
the
newly
created
Richmond
Hill
Tennis
Association
(RHTA),
which
has
been
formed
to
promote
tennis
in
the
Richmond
Hill.
The
insight,
ideas
and
recommendations
in
this
report
represent
new
ideas
for
municipalities
to
consider
with
respect
to
provisioning
of
services
related
to
tennis
programming
and
infrastructure
requirements.
By
identifying,
communicating
and
consulting
with
identifiable
user
groups,
the
RHTA
believes
the
Town
of
Richmond
Hill
will
be
in
a
much
better
position
to
deliver
high
quality
tennis
programing
and
infrastructure
for
the
benefit
of
residents.
The
RHTA
will
reach
out
to
the
community
and
will
work
with
the
community
tennis
clubs,
residents
and
the
Town
to
help
grow
the
game
of
tennis
in
Richmond
Hill.
Residents
can
join
the
Association
by
visiting
the
Richmond
Hill
Tennis
Association
(RHTA)
website
at
www.rhta.ca.
The
RHTA
has
adopted
a
model
of
operation
similar
to
that
of
the
Richmond
Hill
soccer,
hockey
and
baseball
associations,
all
of
which
license
or
permit
Town
facilities
in
order
to
deliver
recreational
programs
for
the
benefit
of
residents.
Over
the
summer,
the
RHTA
launched
a
community
awareness
program
using
social
media
and
signage
at
several
local
tennis
courts
in
order
to
promote
the
free
junior
tennis
league
and
lesson
program
running
at
the
Richmond
Hill
Lawn
Tennis
Club.
Unfortunately,
the
RHTA
signs
promoting
the
league
and
free
lessons
program
were
in
violation
of
a
Town
bylaw
and
were
taken
down.
The
RHTA
will
therefore
seek
approval
from
the
Town
to
post
signage
pertaining
to
tennis
at
all
local
tennis
courts
as
it
is
the
most
effective
way
to
identify
and
communicate
with
the
tennis
playing
community.
For
the
association
to
be
successful
in
growing
the
game,
it
must
be
in
a
position
to
identify
and
communicate
with
residents
who
play
tennis
and
those
who
would
like
to
play
but
have
no
idea
how
to
get
started.
The
RHTA
will
continue
to
encourage
and
promote
the
benefits
of
an
active
community
by
promoting,
organizing,
teaching
and
most
importantly,
providing
a
pathway
into
the
game
of
tennis.
From
what
we
have
been
able
to
determine,
most
municipalities
tend
to
use
population
metrics
with
little
consideration
given
to
needs
analysis.
Land
availability
is
also
a
factor
and
we
note
a
tendency
to
build
courts
based
how
many
courts
a
particular
park
can
accommodate
which
results
in
too
many
one
and
two
court
facilities,
which
tend
to
benefit
only
a
handful
of
residents,
typically
the
casual
player
living
nearby
the
courts.
As
land
scarcity
becomes
more
of
an
issue,
there
will
be
greater
pressure
placed
on
municipalities
to
accommodate
the
needs
of
the
growing
tennis
playing
community,
which
up
until
now,
has
not
been
well
represented
at
the
grass
roots
municipal
level.
For
example,
the
RHTA
believes
that
the
Town
could
save
a
considerable
amount
of
money
and
There
has
been
a
significant
increase
in
the
demand
for
indoor
tennis
and
this
is
due
to
two
factors.
1)
Tennis
is
one
of
the
fastest
growing
sports
due
to
an
increase
in
youth
and
adult
participation
2)
Players
want
to
play
year
round.
Within
York
Region,
the
Town
of
Richmond
Hill
is
the
first
municipality
in
York
region
to
fund
a
"Tennis
Strategy"
report
that
will
look
into
the
provisioning
of
tennis
programing,
tennis
infrastructure
including
the
feasibility
of
building
an
indoor
tennis
facility.
The
availability
of
indoor
tennis
facilities
in
Richmond
Hill
is
limited
to
the
for-‐profit
Blackmore
Tennis
Club
and
the
private
for
profit
Richmond
Hill
country
club.
The
Blackmore
tennis
club
is
a
well-‐run
club
but
which
also
has
capacity
issues
as
a
result
of
increased
demand
and
a
lack
of
competition.
The
closure
of
indoor
facilities
in
Newmarket
(Glenway
Country
Club)
and
Aurora
(Timberlane
Athletic
Club),
both
of
which
sold
their
land
to
real
estate
developers
further
underscores
the
need
to
allocate
land
and
build
tennis
facilities
that
can
accommodate
the
growing
demand
for
both
indoor
and
outdoor
tennis
facilities.
A
private
company
operates
and
runs
the
Blackmore
Tennis
Club
using
the
public
courts
at
David
Hamilton
Park
from
October
1st
–
April
30th.
.
Blackmore
has
had
to
cap
its
membership
in
prior
years
due
to
strong
demand
for
winter
tennis,
however,
aside
from
costs,
residents
are
finding
it
increasingly
difficult
to
book
courts
due
to
increased
membership
levels
of
non-‐residents.
Many
residents
have
cited
affordability
and
cost
as
a
significant
barrier
to
playing
winter
tennis.
The
success
of
the
Blackmore
Tennis
Club
is
evidence
that
demand
for
indoor
tennis
is
booming
and
more
importantly,
very
profitable.
The
Richmond
Hill
Tennis
Association
supports
the
building
of
indoor
tennis
facilities
in
Richmond
Hill,
which
are
affordable
and
accessible
to
all
residents
over
non-‐residents.
The
RHTA
is
committed
to
promoting
and
growing
the
game
year-‐round
in
order
to
assure
the
success
and
profitability
of
an
indoor
tennis
facility.
●
Richmond
Hill
Lawn
Tennis
Club
(RHLTC)
–
600+
members
including
the
250
juniors
in
the
recently
introduced
junior
lesson
and
league
program
introduced
in
the
summer
of
2015
–
75%
residency
requirement.
●
Blackmore
Tennis
Club
–
Private
Winter
Tennis
Bubble
-‐
Membership
unknown
–
residency
requirement
unknown
●
Richmond
Hill
Country
Club
–
Private
year
round
sports
facility
including
tennis
courts
The
RHLTC
is
a
not-‐for-‐profit,
community
summer
tennis
club,
administered
by
volunteers
and
has
been
operating
in
Richmond
Hill
for
over
50
years.
The
Club
operates
under
a
licensed
agreement
with
the
Town
of
Richmond
Hill
utilizing
the
courts
at
Crosby
Park
where
it
is
responsible
for
covering
60%
of
the
operating
costs.
The
Club
offers
a
wide
range
of
affordable
programs
including
leagues,
lessons,
and
social
events.
The
membership
fees
are
modest:
Adult
-‐
$95,
Junior
-‐
$35,
with
non-‐residents
paying
an
additional
$10.
The
Club
does
not
charge
court
fees
and
has
a
75%
residency
requirement.
The
BTC
is
a
for-‐profit
winter
tennis
club,
which
operates
under
a
license
agreement
with
the
Town
of
Richmond
Hill
to
erect
and
operate
a
winter
tennis
bubble
on
the
David
Hamilton
tennis
courts
from
October
1st
–
April
30th.
BTC
has
been
operating
since
1989
and
it
offers
leagues,
lessons,
and
social
events.
It
has
tiered
membership
fees
based
on
age
and
residency.
Court
fees
apply.
The
RHCC
is
a
private
sports
club
offering
tennis,
squash,
swimming,
fitness,
as
well
as
banquet
facilities.
It
has
9
indoor
tennis
courts
and
11
outdoor
Har-‐Tru
clay
courts.
The
Club
offers
leagues
and
lessons.
The
yearly
membership
fee
for
tennis
is
$335
per
month,
entitling
members
to
the
use
the
facilities
with
no
additional
court
fees,
as
per
Jill
McIntosh,
Membership
Director.
Residents
The
residents
who
use
the
public
courts
on
a
casual
basis
are
a
difficult
group
to
identify.
The
RHTA
is
actively
trying
to
identify
and
engage
local
residents
who
use
public
courts.
As
a
user
group,
there
is
currently
no
way
to
identify
who
or
how
many
they’re
but
we
estimate
it
is
in
excess
of
2500
and
growing.
The
RHTA
will
continue
to
identify
and
represent
this
user
group
by
receiving
permission
from
the
town
to
post
signage
at
local
tennis
courts
and
encouraging
them
to
join
the
RHTA.
The
RHTA
will
seek
to
obtain
an
exemption
from
the
Town’s
bylaws
preventing
signage
on
public
tennis
courts.
Tennis
Association
As
the
game
of
tennis
continues
to
grow,
the
demands
and
pressures
on
municipalities
to
meet
the
needs
of
the
expanding
tennis
community
will
also
intensify,
particularly
given
the
land
scarcity
issues
facing
the
Town.
The
RHTA
believes
that
in
order
for
tennis
to
grow
at
the
grass
roots
level,
a
local
tennis
association
is
required,
operating
in
a
similar
fashion
to
that
of
the
local
hockey,
baseball
The
RHTA
would
also
be
available
to
run
or
advise
on
tennis
development,
new
clubs,
leagues,
lessons,
governance,
facility
needs/locations,
court
standards,
and
indoor
facilities
management.
The
successful
execution
of
the
RHTA’s
business
plan
will
help
ensure
profitability
of
outdoor
and
indoor
tennis
facilities,
leagues
and
camps.
The
profits
will
be
reinvested
back
into
the
community’s
tennis
infrastructure
and
programming
in
contrast
to
for-‐profit
operators
who
are
under
no
obligation
to
reinvest
profits
back
into
the
community
from
which
they
generate
profits.
The
demand
for
affordable
and
accessible
(court
availability)
indoor
tennis
continues
to
grow,
not
only
in
Richmond
Hill
but
also
in
York
Region.
The
Blackmore
Tennis
Club
has
capped
its
membership
in
prior
years
due
to
high
demand
from
residents
and
the
surrounding
municipalities.
Blackmore
is
not
subject
to
a
residency
requirement
and,
therefore,
draws
a
large
portion
of
its
membership
from
the
surrounding
region
including
Toronto.
The
residency
provision
was
likely
overlooked
in
the
early
start-‐up
years
in
order
to
assure
profitability
but
giving
capacity
constraints,
residents
now
find
it
challenging
to
book
courts.
The
lack
of
competition
and
high
relative
costs
compared
to
not-‐for-‐
profit
operators
is
becoming
a
significant
factor
for
many
residents
who
would
like
to
play
tennis
year-‐round.
Although
Richmond
Hill
residents
do
receive
a
15%
discount
on
their
yearly
membership
fees,
they
are
subject
to
court
fees,
which
are
at
the
high-‐end
of
the
scale.
BTC
has
attempted
to
improve
court
availability
by
limiting
private
lesson
and
block
bookings,
this
has
had
a
modest
impact
on
improving
court
availability.
In
2014,
Thornhill
Park
Tennis
Club
(TPTC),
a
community
tennis
club,
erected
a
winter
tennis
bubble
on
four
public
courts.
The
facility
is
operated
by
the
TPTC
and
the
management
of
the
facility
has
been
contracted
out
to
a
private
company.
To
our
knowledge,
this
is
one
of
the
only
community
clubs
in
York
Region
to
extend
their
summer
tennis
season
into
a
year
round
tennis
season
and
an
option
to
be
considered
in
Richmond
Hill.
Independent
sources
indicate
that
an
investment
in
a
winter
bubble
has
a
payback
period
of
3-‐5
years
and
the
success
and
profitability
of
BTC
and
TPTC
suggests
there
are
opportunities
for
community
clubs,
such
as
the
Richmond
Hill
Lawn
Tennis
Club
to
offer
indoor
winter
tennis.
This
merits
further
investigation.
The
RHTA
will
fulfill
a
vital
role
in
the
community,
by
promoting
the
game
through
summer
clubs
and
by
increasing
participation
rates,
it
will
increase
the
demand
for
indoor
winter
tennis
for
those
residents
who
seek
to
play
year-‐round
in
an
affordable,
accessible
and
right-‐sized
indoor
tennis
facility.
The
RHTA
strongly
supports
and
endorses
the
building
of
indoor
tennis
facilities
that
are
right
sized
and/or
expandable
and
able
to
grow
with
the
game.
The
questions
that
remain
to
be
determined
are:
The
RHTA
believes
an
indoor
tennis
facility
operating
under
a
user-‐pay
model
that
is
accessible
and
affordable
is
the
best
option
to
pursue.
It
will
require
vision
and
foresight
to
adopt
a
tennis
strategy
that
meets
the
needs
of
the
primary
user
groups,
is
self-‐funding,
affordable
and
accessible.
By
undertaking
the
“Tennis
Strategy”,
Richmond
Hill
has
taken
a
leadership
position
within
York
Region
and
it
has
an
opportunity
to
deliver
a
new
approach
to
tennis
provisioning,
one
that
will
lead
to
a
more
active
and
engaged
community.
The
success
of
Milos
Raonic
and
Richmond
Hill
juniors
Carol
Zhou
and
Denis
Shapovalov
are
putting
Richmond
Hill
on
the
tennis
community
map
within
Canada.
Community Clubs
Community
tennis
clubs
are
the
building
blocks
for
a
vibrant
tennis
community,
offering
organized
tennis
programs
for
the
benefit
of
diverse
cultural
groups
who
share
a
common
interest,
the
game
of
tennis.
Residents
that
are
new
to
this
sport
can
easily
transition
into
the
game
by
joining
their
community
tennis
club,
taking
lessons,
joining
the
leagues
and
socials
as
long
as
the
community
clubs
can
accommodate
them.
The
challenge
for
community
clubs
is
the
inability
to
integrate
new
members
into
the
club
due
to
capacity
constraints
and
the
intimidation
factor
from
a
skill
level
perspective.
This
could
be
overcome
by
expanding
existing
clubs
or
starting
new
clubs,
which
will
relieve
capacity
constraints
and
allow
clubs
to
offer
more
opportunities
for
beginners
to
play
with
players
of
similar
skill
without
feeling
overwhelmed
and
intimidated.
Successful
community
clubs
face
two
issues,
which
must
be
addressed,
capacity
constraints
and
the
need
to
accommodate
the
public
with
increased
public
hours.
With
a
limited
number
of
courts
and
no
ability
to
add
or
expand
to
other
facilities,
community
clubs
will
continue
to
face
increased
pressure
from
not
only
members
but
also
the
public
who
are
looking
to
play
on
the
higher
quality
tennis
courts
used
by
community
clubs.
This
has
in
the
past
created
a
disincentive
for
community
clubs
to
promote
and
grow
the
game
within
the
community
and
it
also
creates
resentment
by
the
casual
public
player
who
feels
they
should
be
given
greater
access
to
the
higher
quality
tennis
courts.
To
resolve
this
issue,
the
RHTA
proposes
to
expand
or
add
new
community
tennis
clubs
working
with
the
Town
planning
departments
to
identify
needs
and
standards.
By
strategically
locating
higher
quality
multi-‐court
facilities
and
expanding
or
starting
new
clubs,
this
will
significantly
reduce
the
capacity
constraints
at
community
clubs
and
it
will
allow
them
to
increase
public
hours.
By
accommodating
and
integrating
the
casual
public
player,
community
club
membership
will
have
an
opportunity
to
integrate
the
casual
public
player
into
the
game
through
lessons,
leagues,
and
social
play.
The
RHTA
would
like
to
work
in
consultation
with
the
Town
planning
department
to
determine
the
best
locations
for
expansion,
the
quality
of
courts
needed
in
terms
of
positioning,
surfacing,
lighting
and
supporting
infrastructure.
The
2013
Parks
and
Recreation
Master
Plan
highlighted
and
acknowledged
that
Richmond
Hill’s
tennis
court
inventory
“has
one
of
the
lowest
percentages
of
club
courts
–
although
this
means
that
the
Town
has
one
of
the
highest
percentage
of
courts
which
are
available
for
public
use
at
all
times
it
also
means
that
there
is
a
low
level
of
organized
tennis
available
to
assist
in
building
interest
in
the
sport
and
helping
to
increase
usage
of
courts”.
The
RHTA
supports
the
idea
of
starting
new
community
tennis
clubs
but
it
should
not
be
done
in
isolation,
as
it
will
require
volunteers
to
organize
and
run
the
club,
and
the
cooperation
of
the
existing
Club,
which
may
have
to
seed
the
new
club
with
teams
and
players.
We
must
also
ensure
that
new
clubs
are
operating
under
similar
rules
of
engagement
as
existing
clubs.
In
addition,
new
clubs
will
require
a
suitable
facility
(number
of
courts,
quality
lighting)
that
can
accommodate
competitive
league
play.
The
RHTA
could
fulfil
a
key
role
in
setting
up
and
overseeing
the
start-‐up
of
new
clubs.
In
the
event
a
new
club
is
not
practical
at
this
time,
the
existing
community
club
will
need
to
expand
by
gaining
access
to
additional
under-‐
utilized
facilities
that
can
be
redeveloped
or
resurfaced.
For
example,
redeveloping
Bayview
Hill
from
5
courts
to
10
courts,
Mount
Pleasant
from
4
courts
to
8
courts
or
resurfacing
Towne
Park’s
(3
courts).
The
Richmond
Hill
Lawn
Tennis
Club
is
Richmond
Hill's
only
community
tennis
club
and
it
is
considered
to
be
a
model
tennis
club
according
to
Scott
Frazer,
President
of
the
Ontario
Tennis
Association.
The
Club's
success
has
led
to
capacity
issues
and
they
can
no
longer
accommodate
new
players
or
beginners
into
their
entry-‐level
house
league
program
or
its
competitive
teams.
The
Club’s
widely
regarded
house
league
program
has
been
capacity
constrained
for
several
years,
rather
than
turn
players
away,
the
club
has
elected
to
increase
the
number
of
players
per
team
which
unfortunately
has
resulted
in
significantly
less
playing
time
for
all
players.
Given
the
capacity
constraints
at
RHLTC,
the
possibility
of
starting
another
community
tennis
club
should
be
considered
but
it
should
be
done
in
cooperation
with
the
RHLTC
and
the
RHTA
in
order
to
ensure
profitability
of
both
clubs
on
an
ongoing
basis.
The
RHTA
would
work
with
interested
parties
to
oversee,
manage
and
implement
the
start-‐up
and
integration
of
new
community
clubs
in
Richmond
Hill.
The
RHTA
will
promote
a
cooperative
approach
between
clubs
to
ensure
that
they
are
working
together
to
promote
and
grow
the
game.
RHLTC’s
membership
has
grown
steadily
over
the
years
and
it
has
reached
the
point
where
members
find
it
challenging
to
access
courts
and
play
regularly.
RHLTC
has
expressed
interest
in
expanding
its
facilities
or
gaining
access
to
the
under-‐utilized
courts
at
Town
Park.
If
that
cannot
be
accomplished,
they
would
consider
moving
to
a
new
facility
such
as
Richmond
Green
or
David
Dunlop
Park,
if
it
can
be
redeveloped
to
accommodate
more
courts
(10-‐12).
RHLTC
would
also
support
the
start-‐up
a
new
club
if
it
was
under
the
guidance
and
direction
of
the
RHTA
thereby
assuring
a
smooth
transition/start-‐up
as
the
RHTA
would
work
with
both
clubs
to
oversee
the
start-‐up,
resolving
disputes
that
may
arise
between
clubs
as
they
compete
for
players.
Adding
a
new
club
will
likely
reduce
capacity
issues
at
RHLTC
resulting
in
greater
court
availability
and
possibly
allowing
for
an
increase
public
hours
during
primetime
evenings.
This
Richmond
Hill
Tennis
Association
is
being
incorporated
and
funded
for
the
specific
purpose
of
promoting
and
growing
the
game
of
tennis
in
Richmond
Hill
and
delivering
tennis
in
Richmond
Hill.
It
is
a
not-‐for-‐profit
association
with
an
elected
board
of
directors
and
a
membership
consisting
of
residents
only.
One
board
seat
is
reserved
for
the
Town’s
representative.
The
association's
seeks
to
have
greater
cooperation
and
be
affiliated
with
the
Town
in
order
to
fulfill
its
mandate
to
grow
the
game
of
tennis.
The
RHTA
will
work
with
the
Town
to
provide
feedback/insight
into
tennis
and
how
best
to
move
forward
in
a
manner
that
is
inclusive
and
considers
all
stakeholders’
interests.
The
need
for
an
association
is
paramount;
we
believe
it
will
help
ensure
the
execution
and
successful
implementation
of
the
tennis
strategy.
The
RHTA
proposes
to
be
the
governing
body
that
oversee
community
clubs,
tennis
development,
leagues,
lessons
and
indoor
facilities.
The
association
will
engage
and
represent
the
tennis
playing
community
in
Richmond
Hill
by
encouraging
active
involvement
in
the
association.
The
RHTA
must
be
in
a
position
to
govern
all
aspects
of
tennis
in
the
community,
working
with
community
clubs,
the
public,
and
the
Town.
It
must
also
be
in
a
position
to
coordinate
and
integrate
programming
between
clubs
while
resolving
issues
that
may
arise
between
clubs
and
residents.
An
example
of
integration
would
be
combining
and
expanding
the
successful
but
capacity
constrained
House
League
program
at
RHLTC
with
the
new
club
and
by
doing
so,
both
clubs
could
accommodate
more
players
of
various
skill
levels.
The
RHTA
would
also
like
to
work
with
the
Town’s
park
planners
to
provide
insight
and
feedback
on
tennis
court
planning/redevelopment
opportunities.
Case
in
The
RHTA
will
require
consistent
revenue
sources
in
order
to
fulfill
its
mandate,
as
such,
it
will
assess
community
clubs
membership
fee
based
on
membership.
In
addition,
it
would
also
like
to
be
in
a
position
to
run
summer
tennis
camps
at
community
clubs
with
suitable
infrastructure
and
shelter
nearby.
For
example,
an
ideal
location
for
a
new
community
club
would
be
Bayview
Hill;
it
has
suitable
infrastructure
in
place
and
has
redevelopment
opportunities
(five
courts
to
ten
courts)
suitable
to
accommodate
erecting
a
winter
tennis
bubble.
Another
revenue
opportunity
for
the
association
is
to
oversee
and/or
operate
the
indoor
tennis
facility
promoting
membership
through
the
summer
clubs.
This
could
be
accomplished
by
having
the
Town
build
a
suitable
hard
structured
indoor
facility
as
is
being
proposed
for
Richmond
Green
or
by
bubbling
outdoor
public
courts.
The
RHTA
believes
a
successful
indoor
tennis
facility
must
have
6-‐10
courts
in
order
to
be
accessible,
affordable
and
profitable.
A
limited
number
of
courts
will
limit
court
availability
and
not
attract
sufficient
membership
levels
to
ensure
profitability.
The
RHTA
will
work
with
Town
planners
to
identify
suitable
sites
and
recommend
consultants
who
have
a
track
record
running
and
operating
indoor
facilities.
A
financially
strong
and
progressive
tennis
association
operating
at
the
grassroots
level
will
be
in
a
position
to
engage
residents
and
grow
the
game
by
making
tennis
an
affordable,
accessible,
self-‐
sustaining
year-‐round
activity
for
all
residents.
There
are
currently
no
municipally
owned
or
operated
indoor
winter
tennis
facilities
in
Richmond
Hill.
The
Blackmore
Tennis
Club
(BTC)
is
a
for-‐profit
private
operator
that
erects
a
bubble
over
the
six
public
courts
at
David
Hamilton
courts
from
October
1st
to
April
30th.
The
BTC
is
a
very
successful
club
as
evidenced
by
its
capped
membership
in
prior
years.
It
is
estimated
that
an
active
BTC
member
plays
2-‐3
times
per
week
and
spends
approximately
$1000
-‐
$2000
per
year,
which
includes
membership,
court,
league,
and
lesson
fees
over
the
winter
operating
season.
An
adult
(age
31-‐64)
membership
at
BTC
is
$430
includes
HST.
Richmond
Hill
residents
receive
a
15%
discount.
The
primary
issue
for
residents
aside
from
cost
is
the
lack
of
court
availability
(accessibility).
In
addition
to
a
yearly
membership
fee,
BTC
members
pay
court
fees
of
$20/hr.
during
non-‐
primetime
hours
and
$24
and
$26/
hr.
during
primetime
and
super
primetime
with
guest
fees
of
$11.
Members
can
book
courts
7
days
in
advance
while
non-‐members
have
the
ability
to
book
courts
1
day
in
advance
by
paying
an
additional
court
fee
of
$5.
Markham
The
City
of
Markham
opened
the
Angus
Glen
Tennis
Centre
in
2011
in
response
to
demands
from
the
tennis
playing
community
for
an
indoor
tennis
facility.
The
27,810-‐square-‐foot,
wheelchair
accessible,
indoor
tennis
facility
is
open
year
round.
This
facility
features
four
indoor
hard
courts
with
a
reception
area,
a
fully
accessible
4,200-‐square-‐foot
member’s
lounge
with
viewing
gallery,
kitchenette,
change
rooms
and
washrooms.
The
facility
is
clearly
subsidized
by
taxpayers
as
the
city
charges
a
negligible
yearly
membership
fee
of
$10-‐$15
with
very
low
court
fees
of
$15.42
for
non-‐primetime
hours
and
$22.03
during
primetime
hours.
Guests
pay
a
$5
fee
and
courts
are
booked
through
the
City
of
Markham
website.
Toronto / GTA
The
L'Amoreaux
Tennis
Centre
(LTC)
is
operated
and
staffed
by
the
City
of
Toronto.
Unlike
the
Markham
Tennis
Centre,
the
Club
has
an
elected
board
of
directors
who
oversee
tennis
programs
with
one
board
seat
reserved
for
a
City
of
Toronto
representative.
The
City
collects
all
revenue
and
covers
all
expenses.
The
facility
is
subject
to
higher
operating
expenses,
as
the
City
of
Toronto’s
unionized
staff
must
perform
all
work.
The
L’Amoreaux
facility
has
9
indoor
and
5
outdoor
courts
available
for
members;
the
9
indoor
courts
are
split
between
a
permanent
structure
(4
courts)
operating
year
round
and
a
permanent
year-‐round
bubble
(5
courts).
Membership
fees
apply
during
the
winter
season
with
the
following
options:
Primetime
-‐
$263.50
and
non-‐primetime
-‐
$170.75.
A
junior
membership
is
$117
and
non-‐
residents
are
subject
to
an
additional
fee
of
$39.
Primetime
court
fees
are
$18-‐$24/hr.
and
non-‐
primetime
court
fees
are
$12-‐$18/hr.
During
the
busy
winter
months
(January
–
February),
the
club
extends
its
operating
hours
to
midnight.
The
North
York
Tennis
Association
was
founded
in
1972
with
the
specific
mandate
of
promoting,
expanding
and
managing
tennis
programs.
The
not-‐for-‐profit
association
has
a
board
consisting
of
11
directors
elected
from
the
19
summer
clubs
and
3
indoor
winter
clubs.
The
three
winter
clubs
are
bubbles
that
are
operated
by
the
North
York
Winter
Tennis
Association
(NYWTA)
from
October
1
–
April
1
with
the
exception
of
the
Peanut
Plaza
bubble,
which
is
a
year-‐round
facility.
Unlike
the
L’Amoreaux
facility,
the
NYTA
is
responsible
for
all
operations,
revenue
and
expenses.
The
NYWTA
winter
membership
fee
entitles
members
to
use
all
three
bubbles
and
the
adult
membership
fee
is
$200
plus
HST
or
after
May
8th
$215
plus
HST.
New
adult
members
pay
$250
plus
HST
and
juniors
pay
$70
plus
HST.
Court
fees
for
members
are
$12
for
non-‐primetime
and
$18
for
primetime
hours.
Members
can
bring
a
guest
for
$11.
The
growing
demand
for
tennis
in
Richmond
Hill
was
acknowledged
in
the
2013
Parks
and
Recreation
Master
Plan.
The
report
recommended
that
the
Town
initiate
a
tennis
strategy
to
determine
the
feasibility
of
building
an
indoor
winter
tennis
facility.
Cited
in
the
report
was
RHLTC’s
recommendation
that
the
Town
build
a
six-‐court
indoor
facility
combined
with
six
outdoor
courts
in
order
to
accommodate
the
growing
demand
for
year-‐round
tennis.
The
draft
report
for
the
redevelopment
of
Richmond
Green
recommended
a
three
or
four
court
facility
in
combination
with
the
additional
ice
pad
and
indoor
soccer
building.
The
decision
on
building
the
indoor
tennis
facility
was
deferred
pending
the
results
of
the
“Tennis
Strategy”.
The
RHTA
will
play
a
key
role
in
growing
and
promoting
the
game
in
through
the
community
clubs
and
this
will
drive
membership
and
help
ensure
the
success
of
an
indoor
winter
facility
that
is
an
affordable
and
accessible
for
all
residents.
The
RHTA
has
compiled
a
list
of
best
practices
for
community
tennis
development.
(This
information
is
based
on
the
experience
and
knowledge
obtained
from
community
tennis
club
operators).
2. Strong communication and planning that actively involves the tennis playing community
3. The
number
of
tennis
courts
should
incorporate
a
needs
analysis
in
addition
to
population
metrics.
4. Court
standards
and
should
be
based
on
intended
use
-‐
four,
five
and
six
court
facilities
should
be
of
higher
quality
and
strategically
located
in
order
to
benefit
residents
in
the
North
and
South.
5. Playing
time
should
be
determined
based
on
the
number
of
courts.
The
current
format
for
public
courts
is
a
½
hour
or
one
set.
For
higher
quality
multi-‐court
facilities,
play
could
be
increased
to
one
hour
with
some
courts
rotating
on
the
hour
and
the
other
courts
on
the
half
hour.
Residents
will
then
have
some
assurances
that
courts
will
become
available
reducing
or
eliminating
disputes.
6. The
North
York
Tennis
Association
model
of
operation
is
successful
and
profitable
and
should
be
adopted
by
other
municipalities.
Next Steps
2.
The
RHTA
will
oversee
the
development,
structuring,
and
delivery
of
organized
tennis
programs
in
Richmond
Hill.
3.
The
RHTA
will
work
with
the
Town
to
identify
existing
tennis
court
inventory
appropriate
for
redevelopment
or
repurposing.
4.
The
RHTA
will
adopt
a
steady
and
measured
approach
in
consultation
with
the
Town
to
expand
tennis
in
the
community.
5.
The
RHTA
will
work
with
the
Town
to
devise
a
plan
for
the
operation
of
an
indoor
tennis
facility.
The
RHTA
has
received
a
commitment
for
the
GM
of
the
NYTA
to
consult
and
advise
on
the
project.
6.
The
RHTA
will
adopt
a
self-‐funding
model,
cover
its
cost
of
operation
and
reinvest
profits
back
into
tennis
infrastructure
and
programming
in
Richmond
Hill,
thus
reducing
the
burden
on
taxpayers.
7. The
RHTA
will
seek
to
expand
and
develop
a
Town-‐wide
Junior
House
League
program,
working
with
the
community
club/s.
8. The
RHTA
will
promote,
publicize
and
organize
free
introductory
tennis
clinics
for
youth.
The
RHTA
will
set-‐up
and
run
clinics
on
set
dates
and
at
select
courts
for
a
modest
cost.
9. The
RHTA
will
work
with
the
community
club/s
to
facilitate
and
run
a
town-‐wide
adult
tennis
house
league
that
accommodates
all
skill
levels.
10. The
RHTA
will
engage
and
encourage
local
schools
and
school
boards
to
promote
tennis
as
an
extra-‐curricular
activity.
11.
If
advisable,
the
RHTA
will
implement
a
court
reservation
system
on
selected
courts
that
will
allow
residents
to
access
an
online
court
reservation
system
for
the
purpose
of
booking
outdoor
courts.
This
may
not
be
necessary
or
required
if
multi-‐court
facilities
adopt
the
one-‐
hour
play
rule
with
staggered
court
rotations
but
it
is
an
option
to
be
considered.
The
RHTA
supports
and
recommends
the
Town
move
forward
with
plans
to
build
an
indoor
tennis
facility.
The
indoor
facility
must
have
a
sufficient
number
of
courts
to
ensure
adequate
court
availability.
If
members
are
unable
to
a
book
court,
membership
levels
will
not
likely
be
sufficient
to
ensure
profitable
operations.
The
ideal
scenario
would
be
to
identify
a
facility
that
could
accommodate
six
to
twelve
courts.
For
example,
six
courts
could
be
in
hard
structure/bubble
combined
with
six
outdoor
courts
that
could
be
bubbled
to
accommodate
future
expansion
and/or
hosting
a
new
summer
club.
The
ideal
location
would
be
Richmond
Green
or
another
suitable
location
able
to
accommodate
six
to
twelve
courts.
A
six-‐court
facility
at
Richmond
Green
would
expose
the
game
of
tennis
to
more
kids
and
adults
and
it
would
be
seen
as
the
premier
recreational
facility
in
York
region.
We
would,
therefore,
recommend
an
in-‐depth
financial
and
operational
analysis
of
the
Blackmore
Tennis
Club
and
the
North
York
Tennis
Club
to
gain
a
better
understanding
of
the
profitability
metrics
of
multi-‐court
indoor
tennis
bubbles.
The
information
contained
in
this
report
is
based
on
information
obtained
for
sources
believed
to
be
reliable
but
we
cannot
guarantee
its
accuracy.
The
report
has
been
forwarded
to
the
Town
of
Richmond
Hill
and
passed
onto
the
consultant
and
is
meant
for
discussion
purposes
only.