POLICY STATEMENT 141

TENNIS PARK OPERATIONS

Prepared by: William Davis

Supersedes:  3/10/2011

Adopted by Council: 11/15/2012

Effective:  11/16/2012

Purpose

To adopt an official policy for the operation of the Tennis Park, a public tennis facility designed to serve the tennis needs of Cary residents and surrounding areas. 

Coverage 

This policy, upon adoption by the Town Council, shall be applicable to the operation and use of the Tennis Park (“facility”) until such time that the policy statement is altered, modified, or rescinded by the Town Council.

Policy

The Town Council of the Town of Cary hereby establishes the following policy:

1.         Facility:  Tennis Park is designed to provide tennis courts, amenities and services for all ages and all abilities.

2.         Facility Usage:  The following priority shall be established for scheduling:

a.         Town sponsored programs and activities

b.         programs and activities co-sponsored by the Town and other approved sponsors

c.         programs and activities sponsored by schools, civic and non-profit organizations

d.         Cary Tennis Park annual pass holders 

e.         Town of Cary residents and non residents 

Exception: courts 3-10 at the Tennis Park were built as a joint project with the Wake County Board of Education.  On days when school is in session, Green Hope High School has first priority use on these eight courts during the school day for P.E. classes and after school for team practices and/or matches. 

3.         General Hours of Operation:  Tennis Park shall be available for use during times as established in the Town of Cary Standard Procedure “Tennis Park Use”.  The Department Director or designee shall reserve the right to alter the hours of operation due to weather or for the health and safety of the public or employees.

4.         Reservations

a.             Reservations for use of the facility shall be made as outlined in Standard Procedure “Tennis Park Use”. 

b.             Town sponsored and co-sponsored reservations may be made at any time.

c.         Police security and/or general liability insurance may be required (at the user’s expense) as determined by the Department Director or designee. 

d.         The Department Director or designee reserves the right to make cancellations at any time.  Cancellation notices will be issued as far in advance as possible.  All reservations/damage deposits and usage fees will be returned in full if cancellation is initiated by the Department.

e.         Cancellation may be initiated by the party making the reservation up to thirty (30) days prior to scheduled use without liability.  All cancellation notices must be submitted in writing to the facility supervisor. Cancellations made within 30 days of the scheduled use will result in forfeiture of reservation/damage deposit.

f.          Court and Private Lesson Reservations: 

1.           Patrons making court reservations are responsible for paying those fees when checking in to use the court.  If a patron is not able to honor the court reservation, the patron should contact the facility as soon as possible and no later than three (3) hours prior to the scheduled start time, so that staff may offer the court reservation to other patrons.  If a patron does not cancel the reservation in a timely manner, the Town may charge a “no-show fee” in the amount of the court fees.  No further reservations will be honored until the fee is paid in full.

2.           Patrons scheduling private lessons are responsible for paying those fees prior to taking the lesson.  If a patron is not able to honor a private lesson reservation, the patron should contact the facility as soon as possible so that teaching staff may offer the lesson time to other patrons.  Habitual lesson cancellations or “no shows” may result in a “no-show fee” in the amount of the private lesson fee and additionally in the loss of a standing lesson time.  No further private lesson requests will be honored until the fee is paid in full.

g.         The Department Director, or designee, reserves the right to reschedule any rental or event if another activity presents itself which may result in a greater benefit to Cary residents or surrounding area.  All efforts will be made to provide a proper time and space for the group being displaced.

5.         General Rules of Use of the Facility 

a.         An employee shall be on duty in the facility during all hours of operation or whenever the facility is open to the public.

b.         The following shall be prohibited within or on the premises of the facility:

(1)        Smoking within the buildings or within the fenced area of the courts, (smoking is permitted in designated areas outside the facility as permitted by law);

(2)        All illegal drugs and other substances;

(3)        Weapons of all kinds except law enforcement officers in the execution of their duties and public demonstrations as approved by the Director or designee;

(4)        Animals of any kind except those serving the needs of the handicapped and those used in public demonstrations or programs as approved by the Director or designee;

(5)        Possession and consumption of liquor and alcoholic beverages;

Exception: Possession and consumption of alcoholic beverages may be allowed at Tennis Park pursuant to the following conditions. For purposes of this Policy, “alcoholic beverages” means malt beverages and unfortified wine (beer and wine) with less than 16% alcohol by volume; and “liquor” means fortified wine, spirituous liquor, and mixed beverages; all as defined by the North Carolina Alcoholic Beverage Control Commission.

(a)        Alcoholic beverage possession and consumption shall be allowed during Town-sponsored and co-sponsored programs and activities.  Additionally, alcoholic beverage possession and consumption shall be allowed during a facility rental for programs and activities not sponsored or co-sponsored by the Town upon proper application by rental users as described below.

(b)        Rental users shall submit an “Application to Serve Beer and Wine” which must be approved by facility staff, and pay all applicable fees as outlined in the annual budget of the Town of Cary. Possession and consumption of alcoholic beverages in connection with facility rentals by rental users shall be limited to the room or rooms that have been rented by that user.  

(c)        Additional police security may be required at the rental user’s expense.  Such need will be at the discretion of the facility Supervisor. 

(d)        Rental user shall comply with all regulations of the North Carolina Alcohol Beverage Control Commission.

(e)        Rental users must provide proof of host liquor liability insurance coverage from a licensed insurer, or proof that caterer or bartender has liquor liability coverage.  The caterer must also provide general liability coverage naming the Town of Cary as Additional Insured.

(f)         Consumption of alcoholic beverages for Police training purposes shall be exempt from sub-paragraph (a) through (e) above.

(6)        Any type of behavior that is detrimental to the normal operation of the facility or the safety of the public or employees 

c.         Persons or groups using the facility shall be responsible for the breakage, loss, or damage to the facility and equipment and shall bear the full replacement cost for such breakage, loss, or damage.

d.         Persons or groups using the facility shall be responsible for any personal items brought into the facility and shall remove same at the end of each scheduled use time and shall return any Town owned equipment to its designated place within the facility as directed by the facility supervisor. 

e.         The facility shall be open to persons or groups who are upon the premise for specific programs, activities, functions or other official Town business.

f.          Tennis instruction may be provided at the Tennis Park by Town of Cary staff only, unless prior permission is granted from the Department Director or his/her designee.  (Reference: Professional Tennis Registry (PTR) Code of Ethics 6.  “A member shall not give or solicit lessons where a resident professional is employed, unless prior approval has been given.”) 

g.         Persons violating any of the general rules are subject to suspension from the facility and prosecution in the event of a law enforcement violation as provided in the Code of Ordinances of the Town of Cary.

h.         Proper tennis attire is required.

(1)        Shirt and shoes must be worn at all times (males and females).

(2)        Non-marking tennis shoes are to be worn on the tennis courts.

i.          The Director or designee may implement any other action deemed necessary to protect the health and welfare of the public, employees or the facility.

6.         Sale of goods

a.         The Town shall have the option to operate concessions for the sale of goods, food, beverages, and alcoholic beverages.  Any or all of these operations may be contracted out to a business or private individual.

b.         Town staff may work with outside vendors to provide the sale of goods and/or services related to events for the duration of events held on the premises.

c.         No other vendors may provide and/or sell goods and/or services at the Tennis Park without prior written approval from the Director.

7.         Provision of tennis services

a.         Town staff shall provide varying levels and types of tennis instruction to the public.

b.         The Town shall offer a variety of tennis programs including leagues, ladders, and social activities.  This programming is to include cooperation/coordination with the local Community Tennis Association (CTA) and its programs.

c.         The Town shall recruit, plan, promote, organize and implement, in whole or as a cosponsor, junior and adult tournaments of varying levels (i.e. local, state, sectional, national and professional).

d.         Provision of services, other than tournament court rentals, that are not Town sponsored or cosponsored requires prior written approval from the Director.

8.         Fees shall be those as adopted by the Cary Town Council in the annual budget.