Constitution of Guildwood Tennis Club

This constitution was tabled at the Guildwood Tennis Club’s Annual General Meeting of Oct. 30, 2016, revised by the Executive and is presented for adoption at the Annual General meeting of Nov. 5, 2017, further revised and adopted at the Annual General Meeting of Nov. 10, 2021.

1. Name
The name of the organization shall be Guildwood Tennis Club (GTC), herein referred to as GTC or ‘the Club.’

2. Objectives
The objectives of the GTC are:
a) To operate and maintain the tennis facilities located in the Elizabeth Simcoe Park, 180 Sylvan Avenue, Guildwood, Scarborough, Ontario.
b) To affiliate with all, or any organizations of a similar nature as its own, as may be deemed necessary for the improvement of tennis for its members
c) To promote and coordinate interest in the game of tennis.

3. Executive Committee
a) The affairs of the club shall be managed by the Executive Committee (the Executive) that shall consist of the Officers, Chairpersons of the Standing Committees and Member(s) at Large.
b) All members of the Executive Committee shall be voting members.
c) All members of the Executive Committee shall serve as volunteers and receive no income or other compensation, other than reimbursement for expenses, from the club.

4. Officers
The Officers shall consist of the President, Past President, Vice-President, Secretary and Treasurer. All, with the exception of the Past President, shall be duly elected from members of the club at the Annual General Meeting.

5. Committees
a) The Standing Committees shall be named Membership, Capital Planning and Maintenance, Social, Website and Communication, Nomination, Financial Oversight, Junior Program, Adult Program. Each Standing Committee shall have at least one member who is not a member of the Executive.
b) The Executive Committee shall have the power to establish ad hoc committees.

c) The Executive Committee shall have the power to appoint an Assistant to the Treasurer, who shall be a non-voting member of the Executive Committee.

6. Duties of the Officers:
President:
The President shall preside at all meetings of the club, propose the agenda for each meeting, and shall generally exercise such authority as is usually associated with this office. The president shall coordinate the work of the Executive Committee and Standing and Ad Hoc committees. The president shall oversee the club’s communication with the membership, the public, and all levels of government. The President shall see that the Club complies with the policies of the City of Toronto.
The president shall be the liaison with the city and shall be the Club’s representative to STF and OTA.

Vice-President:
The Vice-President shall, in the absence of the President, assume the duties and exercise the authority of the President. The president may deputize the Vice President to represent the president at meetings with the City, the STF, or the OTA. The vice president shall promote and develop member interest in participation in the work of the Club committees. The vice president
shall address temporarily, at the president’s discretion, problems and issues that may arise from time to time and do not fall to any Standing or Ad Hoc committee.

Secretary:
The Secretary shall keep a full and complete record of the proceedings of all meetings of the club, and shall email or bring a copy of such records to all members of the Executive Committee prior to or at the following meeting. The Secretary shall assist the President in the production of newsletters and calendars.

Treasurer:
The Treasurer shall perform such duties as pertain to the office. These duties shall include maintaining the financial records of the club, and receiving and depositing all monies paid into the club. The Treasurer shall keep track of applications received and distribute membership tags. Further, the treasurer shall control the disbursement of funds as directed by the Executive, and shall render an account of all transactions, including the financial position of the club, at all Executive Committee Meetings and at the Annual General Meeting.

Past-President:
The Past-President shall, at the President’s request, render to the club their experience in past service in follow-up liaison with the city, STF, and OTA. The Past President shall be Chairperson of the Nomination Committee and shall be responsible for presenting a slate of officers, and Members at Large for election at the Annual General Meeting.

7. Member(s)-at-Large: 
There shall be one or more Members-at-Large to assist the Executive or an Ad Hoc committee in any way as deemed by the Executive.

8. Meetings
a) The Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the club shall take place in the month of November each year for the purpose of presenting reports, holding elections and discussing such business as may be brought forward. The reports shall include minutes from the last Annual General Meeting, the Financial Statement from the Treasurer, and reports from each Standing Committee and each Ad Hoc committee. A Quorum for an Annual General Meeting shall require the presence of at least ten
adult or senior members of the club.
b) Executive meetings shall be held regularly from February to October each year. There shall be a minimum of four meetings held at two months intervals following the club opening. At each meeting the executive shall receive a report from each Standing Committee and Ad Hoc Committee, and a financial report from the Treasurer .

9. Elections
a) Election of Officers, Members at Large, and Chairpersons of Standing Committees shall take place at the Annual General Meeting. This meeting shall be made known to all members of the club at least two weeks prior to the Annual General Meeting.
b) The Past-President, unless otherwise designated by the Executive, shall preside over the election.
c) Six weeks prior to the Annual General Meeting, the Past-President shall form a Nomination Committee.
d) Four weeks before the Annual General Meeting, the Nomination Committee shall determine which, if any, incumbent members of the Executive Committee choose to stand for re-election, and will call for nominations from the adult membership of the Club. Nominations must be submitted to the Past-President one week later.
e) Two weeks before the Annual General Meeting the Nomination Committee shall announce to the membership a slate of candidates for election.
f) One week prior to the Annual General Meeting the agenda shall be sent to the members.
g) Should more than one person stand for any office, a vote by secret ballot shall be taken from members present at the Annual General Meeting. In such circumstance, a simple majority shall rule. In the event of a tie, further deliberation and voting shall be taken until the necessary majority emerges.
h) If an office is not filled by election at the Annual General Meeting, the Executive Committee shall have the authority to fill the position temporarily for the remaining balance of the year.

10. Term of Office
Elected Officers shall hold office for the duration of the fiscal year following the AGM. If duly nominated, Officers may stand for re-election at the Annual General Meeting, in the same or in a different portfolio. In the event that the President is elected for another term, then the Past President serves until the incumbent president steps down.

11. Vacancies
The Executive shall have the power, pro tem, to fill, by appointment, any and all vacancies that may occur between elections or at the time of the AGM.

12. Fiscal Year
The fiscal year shall run from November 1 to October 31 in each year, or other fiscal year determined by the City of Toronto.

13. Banking
The club’s bank account shall be kept in such Chartered Bank or Trust Company as the Executive Committee determines. Cheques on the club’s account shall be signed, drawn, accepted or written as the case may be, by two of the following: the Treasurer, the Secretary, the President or the Vice-President. Cheques, cash, Interac e-transfers, or money orders shall be endorsed and deposited to the credit of the club’s bank account by one of the Treasurer, the President, Vice-President or
Secretary.

14. Amendments to the Constitution
Any amendments to this constitution must be made at the Annual General Meeting. Such proposed amendments must be submitted in writing to the Executive Committee at least two weeks prior of the Annual Meeting. All such amendments presented to the Annual Meeting shall require a two-thirds majority of those present to carry.

15. By-Laws
By-laws shall constitute the variable aspects of the club’s organization. Changes to the by-laws may be proposed by the general membership as long as such changes or new by-laws are submitted in writing to all members of the Executive Committee at least one week prior to an Executive Committee Meeting. Any changes or new proposed by- laws shall be voted on by the Executive Committee and shall require a two-thirds majority of voting Executive members to carry.

16. Club’s Termination
Upon dissolution of the Club, remaining funds, after provision has been made for any outstanding expenses, shall be paid over to the Scarborough Tennis Federation. Dissolution is determined as follows:
a) A duly constituted (meets notice and quorum requirements) Annual General Meeting of
members may vote to dissolve the club. A motion to dissolve the Club shall be presented in writing
and communicated to all members at the time of notice of the meeting. A two-thirds majority shall
be required to pass such a motion.
b) If, at the above-described Annual General Meeting, it is not possible to secure a minimum of
three qualified volunteers to fill the executive positions, the club may be considered to be dissolved.

BY-LAWS of GUILDWOOD TENNIS CLUB

BY-LAW # 1 – The age-determining date for members of the club (where required) shall be January
1 of the calendar year.

BY-LAW # 2 - Any resident of the city of Toronto or the GTA may become a member
a) By submitting an application to the club and
b) By paying the current fees as decided each year by the Executive.
c) The size of the membership is limited to 100 (combined) Senior, Adult, and Student members per court. Junior membership is not limited.
d) A waiting list shall be maintained by the Club, if necessary. Persons on this list shall be notified and will be given the opportunity to become members when some of the previous year’s members do not renew their membership. Residents of the City of Toronto shall be given preference where membership is concerned.

BY-LAW # 3 - The club shall belong to both the Scarborough Tennis Federation and the Ontario Tennis Association. The club shall pay the required dues on behalf of its members.

BY-LAW # 4 - A copy of the year’s Financial Statement, as well as minutes from the last Annual General Meeting and a list of the members of the club, shall be submitted to the City of Toronto by March 1 of each year or other dates as required by the City.

BY-LAW # 5 - There shall be a Capital Planning and Maintenance Committee to maintain and keep in good repair all the facilities and articles belonging to the club to ensure safety for all members. The committee shall advise the executive of the need for any upgrades and improvements, and shall advise the treasurer of the budgetary requirements of the capital reserve.

BY-LAW #6 – There shall be a Membership Committee to maintain and promote membership in the club, produce and distribute application forms, brochures, and notices of the club’s events, work with the Treasurer to keep track of applications received, and keep a database of the current membership list and assign/activate Game Time access to members.

BY-LAW #7 – There shall be a Social Committee to coordinate social events and activities, as decided by the Executive and to inform the Web and Communication Committee of all social events.

BY-LAW #8 
1. a) There shall be a Website and Communication Committee to coordinate with the other executive to update the website with brochures, with appropriate information about upcoming events and programs, to send out mass emails, to post photos of recent events, monthly calendars, and links.
2. b) The Committee shall manage the technical issues of the website and advise the executive of possible improvements available or limitations of the program being used. The committee can conduct data analyses if requested by the Executive.

BY-LAW # 9 - There shall be a Junior Program Committee responsible for overseeing all aspects of junior programming: organizing junior lessons, junior clinics, junior tournaments, junior camps, and junior STF.

BY-LAW # 10 - There shall be an Adult Program Committee responsible for organizing all aspects of adult programming: adult lessons, adult clinics, adult tournaments, adult round robins, and adult STF.

BY-LAW # 11
a) There shall be a Finance Oversight Committee to review the annual Financial Statement and report directly to the AGM and certify on the accuracy of the report.
b) The Finance Oversight Committee shall comprise two members recommended by the Treasurer and appointed at the AGM.
c) The Treasurer shall make available to these Overseers all bank statements and membership files as well as the current Financial Statement.
d) Each Overseer shall be a GTC adult member with financial experience. Neither Overseer shall be a member of the Executive Committee.
e) The Overseers shall advise the Treasurer, if asked, on the format and timing of budget reports, banking arrangements, and strategy for investing reserves.

BY-LAW # 12-There shall be a Nomination Committee chaired by the past president to present a slate of officers to be elected at the AGM

By-Law # 13 – There shall be a Court Supervisor hired each year by the Executive Committee. This shall be a paid position, with the hourly rate of pay and duties determined each year by the Executive Committee.

BY-LAW #14 – Players who wish to use the courts and facilities during club hours and who are not members, will be required to pay a guest fee.

BY-LAW # 15 – The Club shall have the following playing hours for the courts:
a) Members of the Club: 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. daily
b) Non-Members: Saturday and Sunday and statutory holidays: from 3 p.m to 6 p.m only or as determined by consultation with the city.

BY-LAW # 16 - Court time may be reserved for competitive play. This includes club tournaments, inter-league play in the STF and any other club activity that the Executive Committee authorizes.

BY-LAW # 17 –There shall be a GTC Code of Conduct and GTC Conflict Resolution Policy. These documents shall be posted on the website.