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No solutions for pickleball players or courts - investigation will continue for next year

Pickleball players have been offered more court time at the community centre. The town continues to investigate possibilities for outdoor courts and for uses of the Virgil courts for next year.
Pickleball players have been offered more court time at the community centre. The town continues to investigate possibilities for outdoor courts and for uses of the Virgil courts for next year. (File photo)

Council had a brief discussion Monday evening on the future use of the Virgil outdoor pickleball courts, until the two-year court order that has shut them down due to a noise bylaw infraction is satisfied.

Acting operations director Kevin Turcotte spoke of a staff report that looked at alternative uses for the courts, and recommended ball hockey, street soccer and lacrosse as the best options.

The report also recommends “further investigation be coupled with a public consultation to solicit feedback and understand the desires and concerns of the community.”

If the outdoor court is to be used for any sport, due diligence will be required, said CAO Marnie Cluckie, to ensure there will be no noise bylaw infractions, and that any option chosen would be a “compatible use.”

Sound attenuation measures, such as a sound barrier, would be expensive and not necessarily effective, and enclosing the courts would be even more expensive, said Turcotte.

With the Centennial Arena, which was converted to pickleball courts during the summer, now back to being used for ice activities, the club is being offered more time at the community centre, but Turcotte said he hasn’t found another location to replace the Virgil Sports Park pickleball courts when outdoor play resumes next year.




About the Author: Penny Coles

Penny Coles is editor of Niagara-on-the-Lake Local
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