The purpose of this Mayor and Council Communication (M&C) is to enter into a license Agreement with the Fort Worth Tennis Patrons Association, Inc., (FWTPA) for the use of the City's tennis courts to provide affordable tennis lessons. The FWTPA is a volunteer-based, non-profit Community Tennis Association (CTA) of the United States Tennis Association (USTA) in the Texas section. CTA is a local, volunteer-based arm of the USTA that provides programming, leagues and other programs and events that develop and promote the growth of tennis in its community. FWTPA organizes and sponsors tournaments, clinics, school and after-school programs, junior camp and travel scholarships, league championship travel, and supports Tennis on Campus and a myriad of other tennis-related projects. FWTPA's mission is to develop and promote the growth of tennis in Fort Worth, emphasizing the development of tennis skills, sportsmanship, self-reliance, and leadership qualities in participants and encouraging the well-being and health of Fort Worth residents through tennis. The cost of attending and participating in tennis activities can often be cost-prohibitive, discouraging many from enjoying the recreational benefits of tennis. Playing tennis has many health benefits, including, but not limited to, increasing aerobic capacities; lowering resting heart rate and blood pressure; improving metabolic function and bone density; lowering body fat; and improving muscle tone, strength, and flexibility. Tennis is recognized as a lifetime sport, allowing individuals of all ages to partake in its health benefits. FWTPA desires to use the City's tennis courts to provide affordable junior and adult apprentice tennis programs, which will help to improve access to, and participation in, the sport of tennis and serve as a substantial recreational and health benefit to the public because it makes tennis affordable. The license Agreement (Agreement) with the FWTPA is for the use of the City's tennis courts to provide the Tennis in the Parks Program (Program), which includes junior and adult apprentice programs and beginner tennis clinics, at various tennis court locations. The initial seven locations include the tennis courts at Fire Station Park, Highland Hills Park, Monticello Park, Overton Park, Southwest Park, Wedgewood Park, and Western Hills Park. Other locations will be considered in the future. The initial term of the agreement will be approximately 8 months, effective beginning on March 25, 2017 and expiring on November 30, 2017. The parties will have the right to renew the Agreement for two consecutive periods: March through November of 2018 and 2019. The Program will consist of six sessions of six one-hour classes, with a maximum of eight participants per instructor. The clinics will include a certified tennis professional, a new racquet and a t-shirt for each participant, and an end of session party. FWTPA will provide scholarships, as available, to low-income families otherwise unable to pay the registration fees. The registration fees do not fully cover the expenses to operate the Program and one hundred percent of the registration fees will be used to pay for the program expenses. The City is waiving its normal license fee for use of its tennis facilities in this manner because the FWTPA's use will provide a clear benefit to the public as stated above. Proper controls will be in place throughout the term of this Agreement to ensure that the beneficial public purposes stated above will be carried out, including, a cap on charges for participation in the Program, quarterly meetings with FWPTA to review class schedule and program outcomes, reports detailing the number of Program participants, population breakdown, Program outputs and outcomes for each; and budget reports detailing the Programs revenues and expenses for each season. |
