question on club courts resurfacing

[canadave]

Hi all,

Not sure if this is the proper forum (move if necessary), but here goes:

I just joined the executive board of my local tennis club. It's a small club in a town of 3,000 people--we have three outdoor hardcourts, and about 50 members (adults and kids). Lessons for children or adults are included in their year fee ($75 kids, $100 adults).

The courts are just at the point where we need to start thinking of resurfacing them. They've developed a few cracks, and the surfaces are starting to bubble in certain places due to the thaw/freeze cycle. I'd say it'll become a real problem in about 2-3 years, maybe 4-5 if we're really, really lucky.

Problem is, the club doesn't have the money to fix the courts, and apparently has no plan on how they're going to come up with the money.

So, my questions:

1) Anyone have any brilliant ideas to get some money coming in, other than a bake sale? We could raise membership fees, but I'd prefer to do that as a last resort, since we'd probably lose a few people.

2) I know zero about resurfacing courts. Is there stuff we could do on our own without paying a pro to do it, or is this one of those things where you have to just hire the contractor and let them do their thing?

Thanks...I'm basically just looking to brainstorm ideas at this point.

Dave

 

[Bottle Rocket]

1) Anyone have any brilliant ideas to get some money coming in, other than a bake sale? We could raise membership fees, but I'd prefer to do that as a last resort, since we'd probably lose a few people.

A USTA tournament that will draw a large amount of people?

Edit: Just noticed you're in Canada. Uhh... Guess I have no idea then!

 

[takl23]

Do more research into doing it yourself, see what actually needs to be done to the courts. Is it just the surface? Or does the concrete/asphalt need to be done as well? See if you can raise money in your town/area. Do a 50/50 raffle or see if you can have some prized donated. I did that in college for a rock climbing club I was running. Raffled off ski passes, it worked great. Does this help?

Cheers,

Tim

 

[foLster]

Try talking to your Mayor/Council or whatnot.

 

[JRstriker12]

I know raising fees sounds like no fun, but thing about it like this, you can either pay very little and not have a playable tennis court in 2-3 years or raise the fees a little bit and have a court to play on. There may also be liability/safety issues with cracks in the court.

You could probably put down a cement patch as a temporary measure, but it may be a good idea to see if you can have a constractor specializing in courts look at it.

Other ideas are to see if there is a national tennis association that may help you out with the cost of repairs or see if there's a foundation that may give out grants to programs helping kids?

Maybe have the board hold a meeting with all the members and solicit ideas. Who knows, maybe one of your club members works in construction or knows someone who can do repairs for cheap.

Anyway - good luck. Let us know what happens.

 

[Dave M]

Can you get a grant from your tennis assosiation?

 

[burosky]

Have you checked into getting grants, awards or local sponsorships?

 

[LuckyR]

Hi all,

Not sure if this is the proper forum (move if necessary), but here goes:

I just joined the executive board of my local tennis club. It's a small club in a town of 3,000 people--we have three outdoor hardcourts, and about 50 members (adults and kids). Lessons for children or adults are included in their year fee ($75 kids, $100 adults).

The courts are just at the point where we need to start thinking of resurfacing them. They've developed a few cracks, and the surfaces are starting to bubble in certain places due to the thaw/freeze cycle. I'd say it'll become a real problem in about 2-3 years, maybe 4-5 if we're really, really lucky.

Problem is, the club doesn't have the money to fix the courts, and apparently has no plan on how they're going to come up with the money.

So, my questions:

1) Anyone have any brilliant ideas to get some money coming in, other than a bake sale? We could raise membership fees, but I'd prefer to do that as a last resort, since we'd probably lose a few people.

2) I know zero about resurfacing courts. Is there stuff we could do on our own without paying a pro to do it, or is this one of those things where you have to just hire the contractor and let them do their thing?

Thanks...I'm basically just looking to brainstorm ideas at this point.

Dave

I would not do the resurfacing myself. In order to do it right, it probably takes a bit of practice and you don't want your courts to be the practice one's, rather once the surfacer has already practiced on someone else. I would send out a mass mailer to the membership to see if any members are familiar with the techinique though, you might get a lucky suprise.

As to getting the money, I would approach local stringers, teaching Pros and maybe massage therapists or chiropractors about buying a "share" of the costs in order to have a permanent/durable signage on the courts for their services.

 

[Cruzer]

So, my questions:

1) Anyone have any brilliant ideas to get some money coming in, other than a bake sale? We could raise membership fees, but I'd prefer to do that as a last resort, since we'd probably lose a few people.

2) I know zero about resurfacing courts. Is there stuff we could do on our own without paying a pro to do it, or is this one of those things where you have to just hire the contractor and let them do their thing?

Thanks...I'm basically just looking to brainstorm ideas at this point.

Dave

Have you contacted Tennis Nova Soctia to see if they may be able to help financially or have any ideas?

How has court resurfacing been paid for in the past?

It would seem that the club should have the membership fees set at a level where a portion of the fees go toward accumulating a reserve that can used to cover large expenditures such as court resurfacing.

 

[TheShaun]

Sponsorship & cash deal? you pay the company some money and the rest is giving to them as advertising, say for 5 years. Any events or mailers get their company advert front and centre. Likely the company that would do it in your neck of the woods would also do other types of work, so they would get exposure for other types of contracts. you could give the company a couple days a year to host events for their clients....

 

[cak]

You also might want to check out other surfaces that would have lower maintenance. A small club near here has a court surface we refer to as "Lego courts". The surface is made up of plastic bricks that are supposed to do better in bad weather. (Though weather here in Nor Cal is not weather there in Canada...) They were cheaper to put in than resurfacing the existing courts and the small club got a discount if they offered to be reference courts for other people who are looking at putting in that type of court.

 

[innoVAShaun]

One great sponsor this local club has, is a car dealership. Their banners hang everywhere on the courts and their logos are even on the tee shirts that are given out. They even park the latest models around the courts during the big tournaments.