Fall 2020 Newsletter
Message From the President:
Well, we made it through the summer and what a different summer we will all remember. I was very pleased with the cooperation we received from our members with the adherence to our COVID-19 guidelines and protocols during these very trying times.  However, we are in a second wave it seems and we must all still remain vigilant and follow our guidelines and protocols. Courts still must be booked even though our fall brings less usage so we need to be able to track a COVID-19 outbreak.   Please remember to sterilize your hands after play and have the least contact possible.
Despite the lack of social events the club was busy with regular play. There were a few self- organized events and we all loved our two pro weeks with the Kerns. We saw a real uptick in our junior play with more second and third generation play. This is a sure sign of a healthy club and we hope to see more of this in the future.
We will continue to adhere to the government legislation with regard to our courts, look and listen to Tennis Canada, as well as other industry experts for our guidelines and protocols for next season. We ask for your continued support and cooperation and we sincerely hope we will be back to “normal” play next season.
We are including in this newsletter a special notice in regards to a proposal to increase our membership by 10 memberships. Please consider this carefully and get your feedback to the board asap. We will be putting this to a vote before the AMG which is Saturday November 7th at 10:30am.
Please continue to enjoy this rather balmy weather as the courts will remain open until Thanksgiving. You will see some walkway maintenance being attended to around the court over the next few weeks. We hope these will not inconvenience you too much.
Thanks again for your support,
Nancy Bowen
President SSTC
Court Update:
The courts will remain open but we currently do not have maintenance staff. The washrooms are being cleaned weekly by an SSCA hired cleaner, so use at your own risk. We ask that you please take your garbage, dead balls and recycling home. There will be some walkway maintenance commencing this fall on the outside of the courts. We hope this will not inconvenience you.
We hope the winds will be light this fall as the courts cannot be blown clear at this time due to the shortage of SSCA staff. We ask for your understanding as we work through this. We are working with the SSCA on a plan that will allow for off season maintenance beginning next year.
Peter Murphy Retires From SSTC & Welcome to John Weir:
Pete has decided to retire from the Board as Facility Director. He has held this position for many years and we thank him for his volunteer work in maintaining our courts for all these years. Pete also had a stint as President and has always been a part of the smooth running of the club. He will continue to be an advisor and our Barber liaison for court maintenance.
Thanks Pete! I will miss the ”Baileys” for breakfast meetings.
We would like to now introduce John Weir as our new Facility Director. John is a fairly new member and is keen to take on this role. We welcome John to the Board.
Annual General Meeting:
This year the Annual General Meeting will be virtually held on Saturday November, 7th at 10:30am via Zoom.
You will also receive a special notice with Zoom details, a package with all the financials, and a proxy. If you are unable to attend please consider sending in a proxy as we do need a quorum in order to run the meeting.
This will be new for all of us and I hope you will consider joining us with a cuppa coffee…..and your feet up.
Proposal for Membership Increase – Cast your vote!
At the 2019 AGM, there was discussion for the need of a membership review, which would result in an increase our membership from 110 to 120 memberships. The Board now seeks the approval of the general membership by way of an email poll to be closed as of October 30th, 2020.
Please carefully read the attached Proposal. Please cast your vote by emailing meagan.blackett@gmail.com
Thank you for participation and feedback.
Dues Payment Schedule Change:
Heads up! The timing of our dues will coincide with the SSCA’S date of January 31st. Please pay both at the same time. We hope this will be easier for everyone.
Lost and Not Found
Derek Bowen is missing his blue Head racket. Someone picked it up at the men’s event on Labour Day. Please check and see if you have it and email Derek at derek@bex.com
For those of you wishing to contribute to future newsletters you can reach Meagan at meagan.blackett@gmail.com
Tennis Committee 2020:
Nancy Bowen – President
Graeme Scott – Vice President
Tom Blackett – Past President
Greg Cunningham – Treasurer
Susan O’Reilly – Secretary
John Weir – Property & Maintenance
Leslie Hayes – SSCA Liaison
Meagan Blackett – Communications
Ernie Kovacs – Member-At-Large