We are pleased to announce that Book A Court has been installed and activated for use at our Mill Park Venue. This includes the automation of lighting for court bookings.
Access for Court Hire will now be via the gate adjacent to the new courts 5 & 6, by entering your PIN Code into the keypad.
Due to system limitations, there are two separate book a court profiles for Mill Park Tennis Club for each of our venues.
Mill Park Tennis Club – Mill Park Drive
Mill Park Tennis Club – South Morang
The best way to book a court is via our Club Website www.millparktennisclub.com.au and click on the relevant Court Hire Tab
Or
https://www.millparktennisclub.com.au/court-hire-mill-park/
https://www.millparktennisclub.com.au/court-hire-south-morang/
Note: Your personal access PIN code is different for each venue.
If you are using your phone to make court bookings, it might be beneficial to book mark the following Book A Court Websites.
https://play.tennis.com.au/millparktennisclub
https://play.tennis.com.au/MillParkTennisClubSouthMorang
The lock on the main entrance gate is scheduled to be replaced this week and as such the Court Hire Key will no longer be able to be used to gain entry.
After an extremely challenging year for all of us, we hope you are looking forward to some downtime over the Christmas.
Next year will bring some great developments for the Club, including the re-commencement of competition and the return to our usual member offerings.
Further, we will be commencing work on upgrading the Mill Park courts to the Book A Court system meaning that all members and general public will be able to book court time and access the courts in the same way as we do in South Morang. Look out for more details in early 2021 for the expected completion date.
As a gesture of goodwill during the COVID-19 restrictions, we extended memberships to all current members, however as at 31 December, this will cease and expired memberships will no longer have access to book court.
New Memberships and Renewals have now been adjusted as set out during the AGM.
Emails have been sent to all members who were waiting to renew their memberships with instructions and a unique link to process the renewal.
For those members who have already renewed memberships before the second lockdown, a separate email has been sent with 3 refund options.
Thank you for your continued support.
Mill Park Tennis Club Committee
The committee has received confirmation from the council that we can open our courts for Social Tennis and Coaching under strict conditions.
These conditions are
As such the committee has made the decision to open the courts at South Morang via Book A Court from 7:00 am Tuesday 20th October 2020. Limiting all play to singles only
This provides the safeguard of keeping below the maximum 10 people threshold and also maintains a register of the main contact who made the booking for contact tracing purposes.
Our facilities at Mill Park will be used exclusively by our Professional coaches during this time.
During Current COVID-19 restrictions all Bookings must conform to the following as advised from Whittlesea Council.
Following announcements by Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews today, limited outdoor tennis coaching and recreational play can return in Metropolitan Melbourne from midnight tonight.
As always, we must await the Sport and Recreation Victoria (SRV) and local council legal directions before we can provide the Return to Tennis Guidelines.
The club is currently waiting for this information and provide greater detail once it is available. in the mean time, our courts will remain closed for bookings .
Please remain patient as the committee is working to ensure it is safe for all members and guests.
On Monday 7th September 2020, the club held for the first time our AGM in the virtual world via Zoom. Whist this was challenging for both the Committee and Participants alike, it was completed successfully with some great discussion.
There were 29 participants online with an additional 19 Proxy forms submitted. This was great turn out and indicated the level of interest in the running of the Club.
Elections were held for the Committee, with the following Results.
| President | Bernie Ponton |
| Vice President | Scott Lawrence |
| Secretary | Vacant |
| Treasurer | Stuart Dunn |
| Membership Secretary | Paul Vassallo |
| General Committee | Michael Minus |
| General Committee | Analia Fitzsimmons |
| General Committee | Ryan Schultz |
| General Committee | Hung Do |
There are some new faces on the Committee, who will be a welcome addition.
I would like to take this opportunity to say thank you to the departing Committee Members, who over the past few years have provided valuable contributions and efforts to ensure the club kept running. Karen Ray, Anne Martin, Leanne Reid and Tanya Light.
Membership Fees
Due to the ongoing restrictions for COVID-19, the decision from the AGM is for the Membership Fees to be calculated when restrictions are lifted, and members have access to the courts.
This will be calculated off a base of last years Membership fees with a calculation applied pro rata for the time the courts were unavailable.
Further Communications from the club will follow once the restrictions are relaxed and the full impact is known.
At this time, the Committee will be also provide options to those members that have previously paid memberships for the 2020/2021 Year.
Special Resolutions
There were 2 special resolutions that were voted on at the AGM.
Special Resolution 1 – Change of Financial Year
Result – Carried in Favour
Special Resolution 2 – Changes to Annual Subscription and Joining Fee
Result – Carried in Favour
Competition Tennis – Status Updates
The following are updates regarding the different competitions that Mill Park Tennis Club compete in.
NEJTA – North Eastern Junior Tennis Association
The NEJTA have advised that the SPRING season of 2020 has been cancelled. The Committee will provide an update once further information is provided regarding the new season.
NENTG – North Eastern Night Tennis Group
The commencement of the NENTG Spring Season 2020 has been postponed in accordance with Vic Gov Stage 3 COVID-19 restrictions. The restrictions for metropolitan Melbourne will be in place from 8th July 2020 for at least six weeks. Further information will be provided as appropriate to the government directives via your nominated NENTG Inc Night representative.
Our Night team Coordinator will provide an update once further information is received.
DVTA – Diamond Valley Tennis Association
No information has been received regarding this competition.
HDTA – Heidelberg District Tennis Association
Our competitions are currently suspended due to the COVID-19 epidemic.
Secretary Position Vacancy
Due to the Vacancy left for the Secretary Position, there were several discussions held between the Committee and the position has now been filled by Scott Lawrence.
Mr Andrews has declared a ‘state of disaster’ that begins at 6pm on the 2nd August 2020, giving authorities sweeping powers, that includes a nightly curfew for Greater Melbourne from 8pm to 5am.
Under the stage 4 rules for Melbourne, “people will be restricted to their suburbs, and only allowed to leave home if absolutely necessary, with a significant boost to policing to enforce the ban on movements. Only one person will be able to leave the home to buy groceries. People cannot travel more than 5km from their residence. Recreational activities will not be allowed – exercise for no more than an hour, close to home, is permissible. No groups bigger than two will be allowed.”
Until we hear from Tennis Vic and or Council, our venues will remain open with the only restriction of closing off court bookings from 7:30pm to 5am, every day of the week.
When the club receives communication from Tennis Vic and or Council, I will communicate updates.
As per the clubs current constitution, an AGM must be conducted within 5 months of the end of the membership year. However, given the unprecedented COVID-19 situation, prior to the end of the membership year, the club sought an extension of this time frame from Consumer Affairs. I can report that this extension was granted.
Before the reintroduction of Stage 3 COVID-19 restrictions, the club had intended on still holding the AGM at the club rooms. As the COVID-19 restrictions have once again tightened (returning to Stage 3 restrictions), the club will now be looking at conducting the AGM via a video platform.
The committee will be finalising the AGM details at the next committee meeting. So stay tuned for further details.
Once again the committee thank you for your patience and understanding.
