0708 - Australian Sports Commission

Sustainability and the environment
AUD
$14.8m
of infrastructure
development.
TA supports new Water
Conservation Plan
Tennis Australia (TA) widened its sustainability
activity by introducing a short-term
extension to the National Court Rebate
Scheme in November 2007 with the Tennis
Court Treatment Subsidy available to all MA
affiliated clubs, centres and associations
where red porous courts are used.
New Water Conservation Plan
Tennis Victoria worked together with the
metropolitan water retailers (Yarra Valley
Water, City West Water, South East Water
and Western Water) to develop a solution that
increases water savings and provides greater
fl exibility in the use of tennis courts.
The alternative Water Conservation Plan
for tennis clubs with red porous courts was
developed and approved. TA supported this
plan by providing up to AUD$200,000 in
2007–2008 to assist clubs that undertook
specific actions to treat courts with a water
saving product to reopen all red porous courts.
The material used to treat the courts is either
magnesium chloride (MgCl2) or calcium
chloride (CaCl2). MgCl2 and CaC12 salts are
used in road and mine maintenance to reduce
dusting and to melt snow. Both materials
dissolve readily in water, so over time rain will
have a diluting eff ect, with trials on full courts
showing water usage reducing by 60 to 80
per cent. Results also indicated a reduced
expenditure on water and red porous clay
fines (brick dust) as water consumption is
substantially reduced and fewer fines are lost.
The new plan is optional and clubs may
continue to follow the old rules of watering
one in two courts if they wish.
84 The Wonderful World of Tennis Presents Tennis Australia 2007–2008 Annual Report
Fewer red porous clay fines (brick dust) are lost due to the material used to treat courts.
National Court Rebate Scheme
Environmental factors, maintenance requirements and cost are all considerations when clubs
are considering upgrading their courts. The National Court Rebate Scheme demonstrates TA’s
commitment to proactively improving the quality and sustainability of tennis facilities around
the country.
Over the last 12 months, TA approved 39 National Court Rebate Scheme applications,
stimulating AUD$14.8 million of infrastructure development. Resurfacing of 70 existing courts
to Plexicushion took place and 44 courts were resurfaced to Plexipave.
Over 30 of the applications also included lights, fencing, ancillaries (for example, nets
and posts) and water saving measures. In 2007–2008 a total of 272 courts were resurfaced
and 50 new courts constructed with ITF approved surfaces.
To qualify for the National Court Rebate Scheme, clubs must:
• be affiliated with a TA MA
• have had works completed on or after 1 January 2007
• have a fully costed financial plan that demonstrates financial resources to undertake the work
• have a current documented business plan that demonstrates the future benefits of any
projected works
• be developing or upgrading existing acrylic, clay or natural grass surfaces
• agree to implement TA programs and club development initiatives.
The tiered-level funding is in line with TA’s surface policy, which supports the four Grand Slam
surface types.
Court surface type
Grand Slam played
on the surface type
Rebate
Plexicushion Australian Open A maximum rebate of
AUD$16,000 per court.
Acrylic (brands within ITF
Approved categories 1 and 2)
US Open A maximum rebate of
AUD$11,000 per court.
Natural clay French Open A maximum rebate of
AUD$11,000 per court.
Natural grass Wimbledon A maximum rebate of
AUD$11,000 per court.
Table 9.1 Funds off ered for installing or upgrading to the four Grand Slam surfaces.