Fees to Rise 10% at Tennis & Swim Center

At the request of officials at the Calabasas Tennis & Swim Center, the City Council has unanimously approved a 10% increase in membership fees at the city-owned club.

For the past three years, the club has offered individual, couple and family memberships at fees ranging from $10 to $70 per month. Though enrollment has grown steadily for both the tennis and health club memberships, resulting in long waiting lists, Community Services Director Greg Johnson said more funding is needed to keep up with capital improvements and utility bills.

“We feel that this is probably not something that would be too offensive to the members,” Johnson said.

Dan Huncke, the center’s manager, told the council Wednesday that the club took in about $1.68 million in revenue last year and spent $1.53 million. After calculating debt and depreciation, Huncke said, the club wound up with a surplus of about $73,000.

Huncke estimated that the fee increase would generate $60,000, money that could be used to help pay for expansion of the fitness center, tennis court resurfacing or roof repair at the 30-year-old center.

Calabasas Mayor James Bozajian said he had considered the proposed increase all week and had decided that a 10% boost was too high.

“It’s nice to have a city-sponsored facility that is relatively cheap,” he said, suggesting a 5% increase instead.

But after Huncke and several council members spoke in favor of the higher rate, citing the prospect of having to raise fees again next year to cover costs, Bozajian joined his colleagues in approving the increase.