Agenda of Special Parks and Recreation Committee Meeting

Agenda (Open Portion)

Special Parks and Recreation Committee Meeting

Page 4

8/11/2021

Special Parks and Recreation Committee Meeting (Open Portion) held Monday, 8 November 2021 at 4.45pm in the Council Chamber, Town Hall.

This meeting of the Parks and Recreation Committee is held in accordance with a Notice issued by the Premier on 3 April 2020 under section 18 of the COVID-19 Disease Emergency (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2020.

The title Chief Executive Officer is a term of reference for the General Manager as appointed by Council pursuant s.61 of the Local Government Act 1993 (Tas).

COMMITTEE MEMBERS

Briscoe (Chairman)

Deputy Lord Mayor Burnet

Thomas

Fox

Sherlock

NON-MEMBERS

Lord Mayor Reynolds

Zucco

Sexton

Harvey

Behrakis

Dutta

Coats

Apologies:

Leave of Absence: Nil.

1. Co-Option of a Committee Member in the event of a vacancy

2. Indications of Pecuniary and Conflicts of Interest

Ref: Part 2, Regulation 8(7) of the Local Government (Meeting Procedures) Regulations 2015.

Members of the Committee are requested to indicate where they may have any pecuniary or conflict of interest in respect to any matter appearing on the agenda, or any supplementary item to the agenda, which the Committee has resolved to deal with.

3. Transfer of Agenda Items

Regulation 15 of the Local Government (Meeting Procedures) Regulations 2015.

A Committee may close a part of a meeting to the public where a matter to be discussed falls within 15(2) of the above regulations.

In the event that the Committee transfer an item to the closed portion, the reasons for doing so should be stated.

Are there any items which should be transferred from this agenda to the closed portion of the agenda, or from the closed to the open portion of the agenda?

Item No. 4.1

Agenda (Open Portion)

Special Parks and Recreation Committee Meeting

Page 12

8/11/2021

REPORT TITLE: Petition - Domain Tennis Centre - Installation of a Tree Root Barrier

REPORT PROVIDED BY: Acting Director City Amenity

1. Report Purpose and Community Benefit

1.1. The purpose of this report is to respond to the petition tabled at the Council meeting of 11 October 2021 by Eileen Smith of the Domain Tennis Centre, seeking compensation for the installation of a tree root barrier.

2. Report Summary

2.1. The petitioners are seeking a sum of $16,000 from the Hobart City Council (HCC) to cover the costs associated with the installation of a tree root barrier to restrict roots from a heritage Cedar adjacent to tennis court 17 at the Domain Tennis Centre.

2.2. The City of Hobart has a lease with the Domain Tennis Centre Inc (DTC) for the facility on Davies Avenue, Queens Domain. The lease commenced in 2012.

2.3. The lease provides for a $1.00 per annum fee, if the Council requests that it be paid. No requests have ever been made.

2.4. The City has provided since 2012, an annual grant for the maintenance of the tennis facility assets.

2.5. The Hobart Tennis Club has a membership of 550 players and the grant approved by Council in October for the 2021-22 financial year totals $47,383 exc GST.

2.6. Council officers have met with the DTC and subsequently obtained a quote for the installation of a root barrier with the cost being $3,630 exc GST.

2.7. It is now proposed that an ex gratia payment of $3,630 be provided to enable the root barrier installation to be undertaken when the DTC undertakes planned works to resurface courts 17 and 18.

2.8. The City will continue to provide assistance to the Domain Tennis Centre in future applications to secure external grant funding.

3. Recommendation

That:

1. The offer to fund the installation of a root barrier adjacent to court 17 at the Domain Tennis Centre at the quoted price of $3,630 exc GST be confirmed.

2. The City will continue to provide support and assistance to the Domain Tennis Centre in securing future external grant funding.

3. The condition of the annual grant provided to the Domain Tennis Centre that the funding be spent on the maintenance of capital assets where it is demonstrated that the work undertaken will extend the life of that asset be noted.

4. Background

4.1. The petitioners are seeking a sum of $16,000 from the Hobart City Council (HCC) to install a tree root barrier to exclude roots from a heritage Cedar adjacent to tennis court 17 at the Domain Tennis Centre.

4.2. The City of Hobart has a lease with the Domain Tennis Centre Inc (DTC) for the facility on Davies Avenue, Queens Domain. The lease commenced in 2012.

4.3. The lease provides for a $1.00 per annum fee, if the Council requests that it be paid. No requests have ever been made.

4.4. The HCC has provided since 2012, an annual grant for the maintenance of the tennis facility assets.

4.5. The Hobart Tennis Club has a membership of 550 players and the grant approved by Council in October for the 2021-22 financial year totals $47,383 exc GST.

4.6. Council officers have met with the DTC and subsequently obtained a quote for the installation of a root barrier with the cost being $3,630 exc GST.

4.7. It is now proposed that the Council provide an ex gratia payment of $3,630 for works to be undertaken when the DTC undertakes planned works to resurface courts 17 and 18.

4.8. The trees in question that border the western tennis courts of the Domain Tennis Centre pre-date the Soldiers Memorial Avenue, which mark the original alignment of Davies Avenue before it was re-routed for the tennis centre.

4.9. The heritage Cedar trees adjacent to court 17 are original trees lining Davies Avenue before the route was realigned and pre-date the development of the tennis courts on the Domain.

4.10. This avenue was planted in 1887. The Cedar trees are well over 100 years old and have been assessed as having significant cultural and heritage values.

4.11. An assessment of the structural roots and feeder roots of the tree in question was undertaken by a qualified arborist and a solution was to construct a root barrier at the edge of the court to prevent the roots from undermining the surface of the artificial court surface.

4.12. A quote was obtained from a suitable contractor and the cost was quoted at $3,630 exc GST. It would be best for the works to be undertaken when the DTC undertakes planned works to refurbish courts 17 and 18.

4.13. The two trees adjacent cannot be removed without a planning permit. They form part of the Cultural Landscape Precinct for the Queens Domain.

4.14. In 2012, the Council approved a grant to the Domain Tennis Centre Inc for a five (5) year period to assist with the ongoing maintenance of the Centre. Approval of the grant aligned with the completion of the major development of the Centre and a significant increase in the asset value at the Centre. A new three (3) year agreement was approved by Council in 2019.

4.15. The grant has been utilised to cover expenses such as maintenance of clay courts, stadium cleaning, lighting maintenance and grounds keeping.

4.16. The Council at its meeting of 25 October 2021, approved the extension of the annual grant funding to the Domain Tennis Centre Inc for a further three (3) year period.

5. Proposal and Implementation

5.1. A quote to undertake the necessary works has been obtained and the cost of $3,630 exc GST is considered reasonable as Council staff would not be able to undertake these works at a lesser cost.

5.2. It is proposed to offer an ex gratia payment of $3,630 to cover the costs of installing a root barrier be made to the DTC.

5.3. The works be undertaken during the planned works to resurface courts 17 and 18 by the DTC.

6. Strategic Planning and Policy Considerations

6.1. This proposal is consistent with the Capital City Strategic Plan 2019-2029, particularly:

6.2. Goals and Strategic Objectives, Goal 2 – “Community inclusion, participation and belonging”,

6.3. Strategic Objective 2.3 – “Hobart communities are active, healthy and engaged in lifelong learning”;

6.4. 2.3.1 – “Provide and progressively enhance a range of quality places and facilities where people can enjoy education, recreation, socialising, healthy living and other activities and events”.

7. Financial Implications

7.1. Funding Source and Impact on Current Year Operating Result

7.1.1. Funds to cover a gratia payment of $3,630 would need to be reallocated from other sources within City Amenity as this cost has not been considered in budget allocations from the City’s operational budget under the Recreation and Projects Management budget function in the 2021-22 Annual Plan.

7.2. Impact on Future Years’ Financial Result

7.2.1. The assets as constructed would form part of the Domain Tennis Centre and the annual grants allocated to the DTC will need to consider the maintenance of root barrier in the future.

7.3. Asset Related Implications

7.3.1. The root barrier as constructed would be added to the assets database and assigned to the Domain Tennis Centre.

8. Legal, Risk and Legislative Considerations

8.1. There are no considerations foreseen.

9. Environmental Considerations

9.1. There are no opportunities to consider.

10. Marketing and Media

10.1. There is no media involvement required.

11. Community and Stakeholder Engagement

11.1. This is a lease matter and does not require community engagement.

11.2. The DTC should be informed of the decision of Council in this matter

12. Delegation

12.1. This matter is delegated to the Council.

As signatory to this report, I certify that, pursuant to Section 55(1) of the Local Government Act 1993, I hold no interest, as referred to in Section 49 of the Local Government Act 1993, in matters contained in this report.

John Fisher

Acting Director City Amenity

Date: 4 November 2021

File Reference: F21/106890

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