Dear fellow Battle Green members,

We hope that you and your family are doing well! As you may have heard, the Gallagher Courts will be reconstructed this year, which will dramatically impact the Battle Green Tennis League (BGTL) this year. With the project scheduled to begin on approximately July 1, 2023, the decision has been made to offer an abbreviated season consisting of two 5-week sessions. The 2023 BGTL season will be from Monday, April 17th (Patriots' Day) through Thursday, June 22nd.

While this will be a short-term inconvenience, we are excited about the new Gallagher Courts that will be available in 2024 and beyond! Registration for Battle Green Tennis League memberships will begin on Tuesday, March 14th at 6:00am. The purpose of this email is to review the registration process for the 2023 season.

BGTL/Recreation Dept Partnership

We will be continuing our enhanced partnership with the Lexington Recreation & Community Programs Department this year.

This enhanced partnership means that:

• As has been the case the past few years, members will register and pay fees via the Rec Dept’s online program registration platform. This will help streamline the administrative tasks for both the League and the Department.
• Rec Dept will NOT be issuing tennis ID cards this year. As explained below, the tennis ID cards are no longer needed with the PlayLocal online court reservation system.
• The fees for 2023 will be as follows: $55 for resident seniors and $80 for resident adults. The league will be open to Lexington residents only this season.
• The age to qualify for senior status is 60 years to be consistent with other Rec Dept programs. (Your birthdate must be before April 17, 1963 for senior status.)
• The Rec Dept has publicized the League in the 2023 Spring & Summer Program Brochure, available online in early March. The tennis reservation information will be sent to all BGTL members once finalized.
• The League has decided to limit the 2023 membership to the first 70 registrants.

We will also continue to collaborate with the Rec Dept on communications to members. Since they will manage the member registration data base, the Rec Dept will email all messages to members.

BGTL Website

The BGTL website will continue to be hosted on the Rec Dept’s website this year. This website will contain the same information as last year, including how to register, league rules, tennis court permits, and rating your level of play. It will also contain “members only” pages such as the availability form for each session, roster, and schedule that will all be password-protected. Members will be notified of the password once they register for the season.

League will Manage Availability and Scheduling

The enhanced partnership has relieved the BGTL of many administrative tasks – thus allowing for greater focus on tennis play, including management of the availability/scheduling process. The availability form for the first session will be available on Monday, March 20th for two weeks.

Online Tennis Court Reservation System

The Rec Dept will continue to offer online tennis court reservations through its partnership with PlayLocal that was implemented in 2018. This service will allow members to make tennis court reservations online using a computer or by using the app on their mobile device. As referenced above, BGTL members will not receive a tennis ID card this year as the Rec Dept is no longer issuing tennis ID cards at all. Once you register, the Rec Dept will notify PlayLocal that you are a BGTL member. That way, the system will recognize you as a member when you go to make tennis court reservations and no ID card will be needed. That’s it, nice and simple! The BGTL membership will allow you to make court reservations through June 30th. The Rec Dept will be sending out additional information about this exciting service to members once they register for the 2023 season. The courts will go live on PlayLocal at 6:00am each day.

Recreation Dept. Online Registration System!

In December 2020, the Rec Dept switched their registration software and is now using MyRec.com. If you have not done so previously, you will need to create a MyRec account before purchasing your BGTL membership. Here is an overview on MyRec, including instructions on how to create an account and register for a membership. When you go to purchase your membership on MyRec and scroll on the Register tab, be sure to click on Memberships (do not select Programs)!

Online Registration

The online registration for Battle Green will open on Tuesday, March 14^th at 6:00am. Even if you don’t plan to play in Session 1, we encourage you to register early. We will watch the membership count to see how quickly we reach the self-imposed limit of 70 members.

Feel free to contact any BGTL Committee member with questions about the 2023 season.

Take care and see you all on the courts!

Battle Green Tennis League Committee

Mona Altschuler - [email protected]

Karl Voskuil - [email protected]