Agenda Package - City of Vernon

BRIEF OVERVIEW OF THE VERNON TENNIS ASSOCIATION
TO BE PRESENTED TO THE CITY OF VERNON COUNCIL MEETING
The Board of Directors of the Vernon Tennis Association would like to acquaint the City of Vernon
with what this very active and progressive tennis organization has achieved in the first two years of
its operation.
The Vernon Tennis Association (VTA) was an idea that was created over coffee by a few dedicated
tennis players in the Vernon area. They felt that there wasn't a public tennis program offered in
Vernon for the dedicated tennis player at any level, but particularly at the higher level of play, who
wants to play competitively, and not just socially, with players of their own ability in an organized
league setting. Tennis associations have been tried in Vernon twice before, going back to 1989.
Unfortunately because of lack of funding, and lack of facilities back then, both associations failed to
survive past four years.
ln November 2008, the Vernon Tennis Association came into being through the Societies Act of
British Columbia as a non-profit tennis organization. The VTA's mandate is:
The Vernon Tennis Associotion shall work towards educoting its members ønd the population
of Greoter Vernon oreo os to the sociol ond physicol benefits of ploying and supporting tennis.
The Association will offer professionol tennis instruction, tournament pløy, ond league
competition to its membership, residents of Great Vernon, ond the surrounding area, os a
meqns of enhancing Community relotions in general.
The Association will provide an official body to coordinate tennis activities with the
community, between other communities, and with tennis organizøtions such as Tennis BC ond
Tennis Canada, that have similar interests.
The Association will also octively encourage ond solicit the development of new tennis
facilities enabling outreach to more tennis ployers in the Vernon orea.
Because a new tennis organization, not having tennis courts of their own, has to play somewhere,
the VTA entered into a yearly agreement with Greater Vernon Parks, Recreation and Culture (GVPRC)
to access the four tennis courts at Marshall Field with reserved playing time during the summer
season. The VTA pays Vernon Parks and Recreation S3000/season for 15 hours a week of reserved
tennis court time from May l-'t to August 3L't plus an administration fee of S1000/season. The WA is
required by Parks and Recreation to supply 3-4 volunteers from our membership to organize and run
Parks and Recreation's twice a week morning social tennis program, twice a week evening social
tennis program and twice a week ladies morning competitive tennis program for which the VTA
receives compensation of S1000.
For the current tennis season the VTA has gL adult members and 28 junior members (U18). Adult
membership is S60/season. Junior membership is SlO/season for Wednesday mornings during July
and August. Juniors can also play during adult evening times if they choose and feel that their level
of play is comparable to some of our adult players. Some junior tennis players in Vernon have
learned the basictennistechniques in a school program duringthe winter, but once school endsthey
have no where to continue improving their skills and no network of players their own age with whom
to play. The VTA has been filling that need and providing them with regular tennis play for which
Overview of VTA for Ciry Council r 31