North Saanich council have directed staff to continue with concept development to possibly bring pickleball courts to Cy Hampson Park, Blue Heron Park and Hospital Hill.
The motion was carried unanimously at the regular council meeting on Dec. 4.
“In the spring and summer months, pickleball becomes very popular because of the weather and the participants,” Mayor Peter Jones said at the meeting. “I would support that we move forward with the engineering and whatever else is necessary for Cy Hampson Park and also continue looking at Blue Heron Park to get that transferred to the district. That’s where my vote would fall. I do believe we would need sound mitigation at these parks.”
The Memorial Park Society oversees Blue Heron Park. Cy Hampson Park is owned by the district.
“The funding is already in place for Cy Hampson Park,” Jones said. “If we put a pickleball court on any property other than a District of North Saanich property, we’re going to end up paying a lease for the land. It would be a property tax burden on our residents.”
Coun. Jack McClintock said he could see there being conflicts between dog walkers and pickleball players at Cy Hampson Park.
“I take my dog to Cy Hampson Park daily so I have to expose my bias,” McClintock said. “I have a preference for Hospital Hill and Blue Heron Park. I think we should contact the airport about Hospital Hill. I can see it being an advantage. If the airport is not on board with it, then that’s fine.”
The district will work with the Peninsula Recreation Commission and will be reaching out to the Town of Sidney and the District of Central Saanich regarding collaboration for pickleball courts.
North Saanich council also directed staff to look into mitigating the sound at the Wain Road pickleball courts, which were built in 2017. Staff will bring a report back to council regarding the type of sound mitigation, how much it will cost and its lifespan.
“This will help, but it won’t make the complaints go away,” Coun. Phil DiBattista said. “I can get behind trying something.”
Mitigation measures could be freestanding walls, berms or acoustical panels used to shield noise from pickleball courts.
“If we put some sound mitigation up at Wain Road, we can always transfer it to a new location,” Jones said.
The report presented at the council meeting says the courts at Wain Road have been heavily utilized by residents.
“In terms of recreation use, the courts could be considered highly successful,” the report says. “The courts are also impactful on the local neighbourhood in terms of noise and parking.”
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