Want to get to know our Tennis Club Area including two courts plus convenient changing rooms, spend a wonderful summer season in Laxenburg Park, playing tennis, having picnics and lots of fun? If yes, you are cordially invited to join the IIASA Tennis Club.

The Club is more or less self-organized, but to comply with official regulations, is headed by the Tennis Club Committee whose members are elected at the Annual General Meeting held in March. The task of the Club Committee is to organize various events (e.g., tournaments) throughout the season, to see that the courts and changing rooms are properly maintained and to settle problems resulting from violation of the rules.

The tennis season is roughly six months -- weather permitting -- from mid-April to mid-October. For all planned events, announcements are sent by email to members of the Club and advertised in the men's changing room, on the IIASA News web site and, possibly, on the various bulletin boards of the Institute.

To ensure smooth operation of the Club, you are kindly requested to observe the following rules:

1. To become a member of the Club, a ticket must be purchased. In addition to IIASA staff and their dependents, persons from outside IIASA (preferably Laxenburg area) are welcome, but their number is limited to 35 per season.
2. The following tickets and charges are provided:
   1. Full-season ticket, guaranteeing a minimum playing time of two hours per week; additional hours may be booked if courts are available.
   2. Half-season ticket as under 1.1, but only valid for 3 months starting from the day for which a court was booked for the member.
   3. A reduced-price 3-month ticket (June - August) for participants in IIASA's YSSP programme.
   4. Youth ticket, for youths from 12 to 18 years, whose parent is a member of the club or employed at IIASA. Younger children, from 6 to 12 years of age, are permitted to play without charge, but only in the company of a parent.
   5. A 10-point ticket is available for non-IIASA members who have previously held a full season membership ticket for a period of at least one year. Each point entitles the member to play for either one hour singles or two hours doubles.
   6. 1-month ticket for IIASA short-term visitors.
   7. A fee per hour (payable upon booking) will be charged for guests of full-season ticket holders.
   Comments:
   Full-season, half-season, and youth tickets are not transferable. No ticket is refundable.
   The number of full-season and half-season tickets sold is limited because of the minimum playing time guaranteed. Therefore, purchase of tickets will be handled on a first-come-first-serve basis. All tickets have to be paid for in advance; the validity of all tickets, including the 10-point ticket, is restricted to one season. Points may not be carried over from one season to the next.
   A club member holding a 10-point ticket may purchase an additional block, or blocks, of 10 hours by paying the appropriate fee and completing the application form on the Web. A reminder of this possibility, and the link to the Web form, will be emailed to a 10-point ticket holder when his/her credit drops below 3 points.
   The fee for guests of full-season ticket holders has to be paid upon receipt of the invoice. Prices of tickets and guest fees are negotiated in the Annual General Meeting.
   Currently, there is no restriction on when children in the 6-12 years age group may play. The same is true for games between guests of club members. The Tennis Club Committee reserves the right to restrict such bookings to times outside the peak hours (as defined in the current booking rules), if this proves to be necessary in order to maintain the guaranteed minimum playing time for full members of the Club.
3. As there is no official tennis court attendant, the players have to maintain the courts themselves. Thus, playing time is 55 minutes; during the last 5 minutes players should ``groom'' (drag) the courts, water them, clean lines and fix any damage to the playing surface.
4. If the courts are decided to be unplayable, no playing is permitted.
5. Each player holding a valid ticket will be provided with a set of keys which fit the main entrance gate to the area, the court gates, the changing rooms and the toilet. A deposit will be charged for the keys. Please remember that the main entrance gate to the area should be kept locked at all times as only members of the Tennis Club are permitted to enter this area.
6. Court reservations have to be made in advance. No playing is allowed without prior booking. Reservations should specify the names of all players (two and four). Bookings will be handled via the Web. Members having no access to the Web can make booking via e-mail (tennis.booking@iiasa.ac.at) or by calling (during working hours) the Tennis Club hotline: (2236)-807.258. All players, IIASA and non-IIASA, may book one week in advance.
7. Cancellations should be made as early as possible to give others the chance to book and play. Failure to cancel (except in case of rain) will be attended with a warning. Three times of ``no show'' will result in withdrawal of the ticket (see also under 11). Sorry to be so strict, but experience has shown that these measures are necessary to guarantee maximum playing times for all members.
8. Should the players booked for a court not show up within the first 15 minutes, the court may be used by other players.
9. The changing rooms and showers will be cleaned regularly by a cleaning lady but players are kindly requested to keep the place tidy and to clean their tennis shoes before entering the rooms. No objects whatsoever should be left in the changing rooms overnight.
10. In addition to these official rules please observe the following, fairly obvious ones:
    1. Tennis shoes must be worn by all individuals inside the court fence without exception (parents are responsible for their children).
    2. Littering (that refers to the whole area) and smoking in the changing rooms and on the courts will not be tolerated.
    3. Reservations begin on the hour. Those arriving late must forfeit the time missed (see also rule 8 above). The courts must be vacated punctually and must be ready for the next players (see also 3 above).
    4. All gates, doors and windows must be locked and the lights switched off before leaving.
    5. Children under 6 years are not allowed on the courts.
11. Observation of these rules may be controlled by all tennis players. In case of violation of the rules, the Tennis Club Committee will -- after a warning -- exclude members from playing and/or withdraw their ticket without refund, for a limited or unlimited period.

Hoping that the last paragraph will never have to be enforced, we wish you fun and a good game.

The Tennis Club Committee
May 2005

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