The pickleball saga on the Saanich Peninsula continues.
Last week, a North Saanich municipal councillor put forth a motion to have the Wain Park pickleball courts torn out, which has resulted in contempt from local pickleball players.
The Wain Park pickleball courts have been permanently closed for a year and a half after many residents neighbouring the courts advocated for its closure due to complaints it was too noisy.
Council is now considering a plan for both Wain Park and Noble Garden Park, in which a strategy is being made to help the two parks best serve community members.
However, future pickleball courts do not seem to be in the cards for the future of Wain Park.
North Saanich Councillor Sanjiv Shrivastava put forth a motion to remove the asphalt surface and fencing of the courts in Wain Park.
Councillors were torn on the matter, as the courts are currently sitting unused, but cost taxpayers money nonetheless.
This motion has sparked backlash amongst local pickleballers, who want the April 2024 decision to close the courts overturned.
Victoria Regional Pickleball Association (VRPA) president Roger Graves has been speaking out publicly about Councillor Shrivastava’s motion and the further harm it would cause the pickleball community.
Graves claimed in an interview with CKNW 730 (Vancouver) that the Capital Regional District Panorama Recreation Committee conducted a survey on recreational facilities in the region, which concluded that pickleball is underserved in that area compared to places like Langford or Kelowna.
“So, the number-one point is: we need more pickleball courts in that area for residents. We don’t need fewer. We don’t need to tear them up, we need more of them,” said Graves.
“The second point is that in the past two years, a lot has changed. There are quieter paddles and new technologies. I’ve got a couple of balls here — they’re called ‘librarian pickleballs’ because they don’t make a whole lot of noise.”
Graves also noted that installing acoustic paneling is also a new technology that is available to reduce noise levels.
Over the summer, Graves says that he and some other impacted pickleball players got together by the picnic tables next to the closed courts and discussed the difficulty they are having finding new accessible places to play.
“There’s a new multi-sport box in Central Saanich, which helps, and the Panorama Rec Committee’s report supports building more courts up at the north end of the Peninsula. We’re also exploring a few other options,” Graves continued.
“But for now, those players have really dispersed. It’s a 20 to 30 minute drive down to Victoria, which makes things difficult.”
Pickleball BC claims that the sport is considered one of the fastest-growing sports in the province, mirroring its rapid expansion across North America.
