Board of Directors 2024

For any questions or offers to help regarding a specific portfolio please contact the following:

• President – Marc Trudel
• Treasurer – Maggie Kennedy
• Secretary – Keith Flavell
• Vice President Courts & Grounds – Ariane Truong
• Special Projects & IT – Anthony Turcotte
• Tennis Adults – Karen Magharian
• Tennis Juniors – Matt Stephens
• Membership – Maryse Darsigny
• Communications - Chantal Leduc
• Social – Melodie Nash
• Bar & Kitchen – Denis Boucher

 

General Manager - Chantelle Schwartz

As a lifelong multi-sport athlete, whether it's the field or the court, a sporting venue has always felt like home. That's what Monkland should be; everyone's second home. My philosophy is shaped by years of experience at private tennis clubs in Montreal, as well as in service establishments across the country.

I am proud to be at the helm as Monkland Tennis Club heads towards its centennial. My vision is to keep up the traditions that have made the Club the "it" place to be every summer (and a cornerstone of the Monkland/NDG community), while continuing to strive towards the highest level of services for our membership.

Monkland's history is legendary and its future is bright. I am excited to be a part of it.
Chantelle
 

Courts Limited 

Mission of Courts Ltd.

Courts Ltd. is a private company whose sole purpose is to own and preserve the property on Royal Avenue for the long-term use and benefit of the Monkland Tennis Club. One of the benefits of Courts Ltd.’s ownership of the property is that its shareholders remain in place for many years while the board members of the Club are elected for much shorter mandates. These shareholders have a stewardship role in the life of the Club, contributing to the Club’s long-term stability and success. They provide a valuable source of knowledge about the history of the Club’s operations and make decisions about the property with a long-term perspective.
The incorporating documents of Courts Ltd. limit the number of its shareholders to fifteen, all of whom must be members of the Monkland Tennis Club (see Shareholders and Board Members of Courts Ltd.). The by-laws of the company govern how a share may be passed on to a new shareholder; they do not permit shareholders to sell or transfer their shares. A written policy describes the nomination process and suggested qualifications for a new shareholder, culminating in approval by the existing shareholders (see Criteria for Selection of a Shareholder of Courts Ltd.).

Beginnings of the Monkland Tennis Club and Courts Ltd.

The Monkland Tennis Club was officially incorporated in March of 1939, when a group of members of the Montreal Amateur Athletic Association (MAAA) established a new club to replace their tennis section which had ceased operations. For a while, the new club continued the MAAA practice of renting its courts and clubhouse on Royal Avenue from the Protestant Board of School Commissioners. In 1946, a decision was made to purchase the facilities and the underlying property from the school board. To help structure the financing of the purchase, a small group of Club members incorporated a new private company, Courts Ltd., to own the property.
Ever since then, the Club and Courts Ltd. have maintained their close and cooperative relationship, with the Club continuing to lease the property and buildings from Courts. Although Courts must give prior approval to any physical changes to the property, the Club has total authority and responsibility for the management and the costs of its daily operations.

Relationship between the Monkland Tennis Club and Courts Ltd.

Under a written lease between the two parties, the Club pays a nominal annual rent of $1 to Courts Ltd. and pays all expenses to protect and maintain the property, including insurance and municipal taxes. While the lease requires that Courts Ltd. must give prior approval to any physical changes to the property, it is the Club that carries out and pays for any infrastructure projects.
There is another long-term agreement that was entered into between the Club and Courts Ltd. in 1971, which remains in force. It covers the hypothetical situation of an expropriation or sale of the property. In such an event, the agreement requires that every effort be made to relocate the Club but, if that effort fails, the proceeds of such a disposition, after all debts are paid, must be shared between eligible members of the Club and the shareholders of Courts Ltd. Each person may receive only one share of the proceeds. The conditions of member eligibility are stipulated in this agreement, as well as in the Club’s Constitution, and are summarized below (see Distribution of Net Proceeds).

Distribution of Net Proceeds

Pursuant to the agreement entered into in 1971 between the Club and Courts Ltd., if the effort to relocate fails, Courts Ltd. will distribute the net proceeds of any sale or expropriation of the property, after all debts are paid, in equal individual amounts as follows:

a. to each shareholder of Courts;
b. to each senior playing member of the Club who has been a senior playing member in good standing for five (5) consecutive years preceding the alienation of the property;
c. to each life member (playing) of the Club; and
d. to each member of the Club who was a senior playing member for at least twenty years prior to the alienation of the property and who is still a member of the Club in another category at the time of the alienation of the property.
e. The Club shall not, without the prior written approval of Courts, make any change to the categories of its members which may impact in any manner the distribution formula stipulated above.
f. In any event, no person shall receive more than one portion.

Criteria for Selection of a Shareholder of Courts Ltd.

To be nominated to replace a shareholder leaving Courts Ltd., a person should

a) have rendered significant service to the Monkland Tennis Club by, for example, serving on its board of directors or contributing in another distinctive way,
b) be dedicated to ensuring the future of the Club and understand the role of Courts Ltd. in this regard,
c) be available to attend meetings,
d) have expertise or experience that complements other shareholders of Courts Ltd., and
e) contribute to being representative of the diversity of the Club’s membership.

Shareholders and Board Members of Courts Ltd. - 2023

Norm Hartenstein (President, director)
Paul-André Mathieu (Secretary, director)
Joan Stadelman (Treasurer, director)
Sarah Dougherty (director)
Marc Villeneuve (director)
Gilbert Gagnon
Brigitte Godbout
Sue Harrison
Serge Machabée
Sandy Milroy
Gary Naves
Denis Pairault
Lynn Waterston
Isabelle Wehrli
Cary Willson