Club Update: Court Renewal Fund & Membership Fee Structure

For the 2020 season, the current Board of Directors sees the pressing need for court renewal as the key issue of importance to the Elmdale Tennis Club.  The issue has a direct impact on how the Club’s tennis program operates, and how we manage our resources, including membership fees, in the best interests of the Club membership.

We want to ensure the best tennis experience for our members and campers.  The state of the clay courts is an essential ingredient in achieving this goal and their maintenance and upkeep are central to the long-term viability and reputation of the Club.

The Club’s clay courts are well past the date for renewal.  Current estimates place the cost of court renewal alone at approximately $300,000.  In addition, the watering system requires replacement/upgrade. As a result, current estimates for complete renewal of the courts is estimated at around $400,000.

In 2019, the Board put aside $50,000 and the 2020 Board has set a goal of putting aside $35,000 in a Reserve Fund.  Even optimistic projections suggest that the Club’s courts will not be renewed for approximately four to five years.

The Club has limited avenues for revenue generation:  as a not for profit organization, the Club may not seek a loan.  The City of Ottawa, owner of the tennis facility, has very limited resources to support club maintenance and upgrades.

At present we see three avenues for revenue generation for ongoing club operations and for contributions to the Reserve Fund for court renewal: grants; contributions from the neighbourhood business community; and, membership and camp enrollment.

  1. Grants. The Board of Directors has developed a grant proposal under the Ontario Ministry of Infrastructure, Community, Culture and Recreation stream.  We are awaiting word on acceptance. Given competition for limited funding across the province, we are only moderately hopeful that the grant proposal will provide funding to Elmdale for our court renewal project.
  2. Business Community Engagement. Under the leadership of Board member Joel Diener, we hope to engage local businesses in advertising and banner opportunities which will generate new revenues for the Club.  The Board intends to direct any new revenues from this venture to the Reserve Fund.
  3. Membership and Camp Enrolment. Revenues from membership and camp enrolment remain our largest sources of funds. 

Our rates for camps are consistent with similar programs at other clubs in the city and we recognize that it is important to our members to limit the size of camps and their court usage through July and August.  Thus, we believe we have maximized revenue from this source.

The better part of Club revenues come from membership fees.  The Board considers membership levels and categories on an annual basis.  We gather information on the fee structures of similar clubs and consider our own demographics in making decisions on the annual membership fee structure and categories.

Given the popularity of Elmdale, the total membership count has been capped at approximately 400.  The original decision to cap membership took place in 2015 and remains in place. Since 2015, the proportion of members at age 60 and over has risen each year.  Given the preference to returning members to register first, and the membership cap, we forecast the number of members over 60 to continue to rise each year. In a fee structure that includes a reduced rate for seniors, the Club’s main source of revenue will diminish steadily over time.

We know from looking at other tennis clubs’ fee structures that not all clubs include a category for seniors.  Looking at the other clay court clubs, three do not have a category for seniors; while two others do but they start at 65.

The decision to drop the senior category was not an easy one.  We understand and sympathize with the membership’s desire to continue to support our older members with a fee reduction.  That said, as a Board, we also see the need to ensure an overall fair approach to membership fees, to sustain the revenue stream from membership, and attain our medium term goal of court renewal, in the interests of all members.

Job Opportunity: Camp Counselor and Volunteer Camp Counselor

Camp Counselor

Job Description: We are seeking to hire camp counselors from the 2018 Elmdale Tennis Club Summer Camp.

Hours: The Summer Camp is offered from July 3 to August 24, 2018 (Monday to Friday) and daily camp hours are 8 am to 5 pm, which includes before and after care.

Rate of Pay Range: Starting at $14/hour

Positions available: 3

How to Apply: By email: info@elmdale.ca

Qualifications

  • Interest in tennis and knowledge of tennis rules;
  • Advanced tennis experience (i.e., minimum of 2 years of tennis experience);
  • Strong interpersonal and communication skills;
  • Enthusiastic, personable and customer service oriented;
  • Strong leadership skills;
  • Ability to work as part of a team;
  • Strong time management and organization skills;
  • Previous camp experience will be considered as an asset;
  • Bilingualism will be considered as an asset; and
  • Must be 16 years of age or older.

If hired, a police check, first aid certification and additional certification (as identified by the Elmdale Tennis Club) are required prior to commencing employment.

Volunteer Camp Counselor

Job Description: We are also encouraging interested youth to consider volunteering at the 2018 Elmdale Tennis Club Summer Camp. This has proven to be very popular in the community.

Hours: The Summer Camp is offered from July 3 to August 24, 2018 (Monday to Friday) and daily camp hours are 9 am to 4 pm.

Rate of Pay Range: This is a volunteer position.

Positions available: Multiple positions are available.

How to Apply: By email: info@elmdale.ca

Qualifications

  • Interest in tennis;
  • Knowledge of tennis rules and fundamental tennis skills;
  • Interpersonal and communication skills;
  • Enthusiastic, personable and customer service oriented;
  • Ability to work as part of a team;
  • Bilingualism will be considered as an asset;
  • First aid certification will be considered as an asset; and
  • Must be 14 years of age or older.

If chosen, a police check is required prior to joining the 2018 Elmdale Tennis Club Summer Camp team.

Job Opportunity – Club Steward

Job Purpose:   To provide club members with a range of services designed to create a positive member experience when participating in activities and while using the club facilities

Hours:  Full-time hours (40) between Monday to Sunday between 7 am and 11 pm

Rate of Pay Range:  Starting at $15/hour

Positions available: 1

How to Apply: By email: info@elmdale.ca

Qualifications

  • Strong interpersonal and communication skills;
  • Enthusiastic, personable and customer service oriented;
  • Ability to work independently and as part of a team;
  • Strong time management and organization skills;
  • Some physical labour required (roughly 1-2 hr. of court maintenance per shift);
  • An interest or background in tennis is an asset;
  • Bilingualism will be considered an asset; and
  • Must be 18 years of age or older.

Job Description/Principle Duties:

The Club Steward is the first person a club member meets when they walk into the club. A steward’s primary task is to provide excellent customer service to members and guests.

This includes, but is not limited to:

  • Providing information about memberships, instructional programs, summer camps, special events and club policies;
  • Booking courts, signing up new members and registering participants for instructional programs;
  • Responding to all member needs or questions;
  • Operating the canteen which includes the serving of alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks and snacks;
  • Assisting the Board members in the organization and preparation of social events;
  • Advising members, as required, when their booking is finished; resolving issues that arise related to court access or referring them to the Club Manager; and
  • Coordinating Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday round robins.

Stewards also do daily court maintenance which is essential to keeping our six clay courts in superb condition. A Steward will typically spend 20% of their time on court maintenance tasks.

In addition, the Steward is responsible for keeping the clubhouse clean and tidy. . This is typically done during slow periods and takes roughly 10% of the Steward’s shift and includes cleaning floors, toilets and sinks; ensuring that the patio and deck are tidy; ensuring the storage cabinets are kept tidy and locked; emptying garbage cans, watering plants, ensuring the courts are free of any litter / debris and emptying court garbage bins.

If hired, a police check, first aid certification and SmartServe certificate are required prior to commencing employment.