Pickleball Controversy in North Saanich: A motion to reopen the Wain Park pickleball courts in North Saanich was ultimately rejected after nearly two hours of heated debate at the council’s Feb. 24 meeting. The motion, proposed by Coun. Jack McClintock, aimed to reopen the courts, which had been closed on May 7, 2024, due to noise complaints.
The Motion and Council Procedures
McClintock’s motion sought a cost-sharing agreement with the Peninsula and Victoria pickleball associations to fund the reopening of the courts, along with the installation of acoustiblock material to reduce noise. The motion also suggested establishing reasonable hours for play to address concerns.
However, the motion was ruled out of order before it could be fully presented, as it conflicted with two existing resolutions that would need to be rescinded first.
One resolution called for the permanent closure of the courts, effective April 29, 2024, and the other had previously rejected McClintock’s proposal to explore soundproofing options.
A Tense Discussion and Mayor’s Final Decision
The discussion grew tense as council members debated whether the previous resolutions should be rescinded to allow the new motion to proceed. Deputy CAO Rachel Dumas explained that the reconsideration period for these decisions had already passed.
Mayor Peter Jones ruled McClintock’s motion out of order, and the council moved on to the next item.
“You’ve not brought forward anything that changes the reasons for the council’s decision previously so I will support the point of order.” – (Jones)
McClintock, however, argued that the pickleball community was willing to fund the reopening and soundproofing, at no cost to the district.
“If you want to cut me off, you can cut me off mayor, but I will refuse to stop talking and supporting this community and this notice of motion. It’s a matter of significant interest to the community…it’s a matter that has divided the community and it’s an opportunity for us to make a former wrong, right.” – (McClintock)
Despite the vote being tied at 3-3 to overturn the mayor’s decision, Jones had the final say, and the motion was not accepted.
The Trial Proposal and Vote
McClintock, the only council member who had opposed the closure of the Wain Park courts, continued to advocate for a trial period to reopen the courts.
His proposal suggested using soft paddles to mitigate noise, with the pickleball community covering sound mitigation costs and a qualified sound engineer monitoring noise levels before and after the trial.
“It’s a win-win for the pickleball community and district. Once the acoustic panels are up, trial is run and sound studies completed, then we can decide. This has not been tried. Why have we not tried something?” – (McClintock)
However, a motion to rescind the previous resolutions failed with a vote of 4-3, keeping the courts closed. Couns. McConkey, Sanjiv Shrivastava, Marshall, and Mayor Jones opposed, while Couns. McClintock, Celia Stock, and Phil DiBattista voted in favor.
New Proposal: Repurposing the Courts
In a further move, Coun. Marshall put forward a motion to investigate repurposing the Wain Park pickleball courts. The proposal called for staff to report back to council on March 10 with recommendations on how the courts could be repurposed, potentially using funding from the Parks Reserve Fund.
This motion passed, though Couns. McClintock, Stock, and DiBattista opposed, arguing that any decision on repurposing should be delayed until the Peninsula Recreation Needs Assessment Survey is completed and presented to the council in June.
“I’m not supporting it because it’s flawed and not the direction we’re going as far as the community is concerned and as a councillor that supports the majority of the community.” – (McClintock)
Ongoing Controversy and Legal Action
The North Saanich pickleball community has long criticized the district’s plans to invest about $900,000 in a new pickleball facility at Blue Heron Park. Many argue that the district could spend less money on sound mitigation at Wain Park instead.
On July 26, 2024, an ad hoc group of pickleball players filed for a judicial review of the closure in the B.C. Supreme Court, but the case was dropped before the hearing, scheduled for February 10.
News in Brief: Pickleball Controversy in North Saanich
The debate over reopening Wain Park pickleball courts in North Saanich ended with a deadlock vote. The motion to rescind previous closure resolutions was defeated, and a new proposal to repurpose the pickleball courts was approved. The pickleball community continues to push for solutions to address noise concerns and court closures.
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