Item - 2016.CD14.1

The Community Development and Recreation Committee recommends that:

1.  City Council authorize the General Manager, Parks, Forestry and Recreation to include the implementation of the Tennis Pilot Permit Project as part of the New and Enhanced Services for City Council consideration in the 2017 Budget Submission, and to allow the issuing of permits to individuals or organizations at the following four City of Toronto public tennis court locations where there are no Community Tennis Clubs:

a.  Jonathan Ashbridge Park (Toronto / East York) - Ward 32;

b.  Birchmount Park (Scarborough) - Ward 36;

c.  Park Lawn Park (Etobicoke / York) - Ward 5; and

d.  Champlain Parkette (North York) - Ward 10.

2.  City Council authorize the General Manager, Parks, Forestry and Recreation to include the new permit fees, as per Appendix 2 to the report (September 2, 2016) from the General Manager, Parks, Forestry and Recreation, for consideration in the 2017 annual Operating Budget process, which will include public notification of all user fee changes.

This report responds to a request from the March 7, 2016 Community Development and Recreation Committee for Parks, Forestry and Recreation (PFR) staff to review and identify the proposed tennis court locations considered for inclusion in the Tennis Pilot Permit Project. This report also responds to additional information requests from the Community Development and Recreation Committee on March 7, 2016.

The additional information requested includes: service standards for City-owned tennis courts; increasing the availability of City-delivered tennis programming across the City in public tennis courts prior to the 2017 budget; the potential portability of the City of Toronto Welcome Policy, and the posting of tennis court facility data on the City of Toronto Open Data portal.

The recommended Tennis Pilot Permit Project responds to stakeholder interest, including not-for-profit, commercial and individual community members, in an opportunity to permit a select number of public tennis courts in the City of Toronto. This was identified during the consultation process for the City of Toronto Policy on Outdoor Community Tennis Club Operations conducted in the summer of 2015.

The Tennis Pilot Permit Project supports the advancement of the Tennis Excellence Framework by building capacity to enhance tennis activities in the City.