YEAR IN REVIEW: It's a pickleball miracle! Outdoor courts open tomorrow morning

YEAR IN REVIEW: As we begin a new year, The NOTL Local is looking back at some stories and photos we published throughout 2024. This was originally published on Aug. 14, 2024.

UPDATE: The Town has announced that the pickleball courts are ready to be opened. For this weekend only, the courts will be fully open: Saturday from 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. and Sunday from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. After this weekend, use of the courts will follow the play schedule outlined at the bottom of this article.

Barring any further unforeseen circumstances, local pickleball lovers should finally be able to play the game they love in the great outdoors by this coming Monday, August 19.

An email went out on Monday, August 12 to the 700-plus members of the Niagara-on-the-Lake Pickleball Club cautiously predicting exactly that. 

Town parks and recreation staff have been busy since last Thursday installing the sound panels to two areas of the fence surrounding the outdoor courts at the Virgil sports park.

After a two-year court-ordered ban on the use of the six courts expired on June 15, the facility was scheduled to reopen two days later. But a delay in the arrival of sound barriers that were recommended by a staff report and approved by council in April pushed the opening date back to June 24. 

The sound panels were finally delivered on Friday, June 28. But when staff began the installation process it became evident that the wire fencing surrounding the courts was not strong enough to support them.

Town communications coordinator Marah Minor told The Local via email that a contractor was subsequently brought in to install larger, 3.5-inch fence posts between the existing posts and two mid-rail posts as well as cross-members. 

When asked about the delay, Minor said, “The procurement of contractors this time of year can be challenging as it is their busy season.” 

The contractor chosen to do the work was Stevensville Lawn Service Inc. Minor added that the final cost of the project  will be provided to council during the year-end budget reconciliation.

Once the work is completed, the courts will be open from 8:00 a.m. until 9:00 p.m. Monday to Friday and 8:30 a.m. until 9:00 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. 

The NOTL Pickleball Club will share the courts with public players according to a prescribed schedule. Court captains from the club will take care of the opening and closing of the courts each day and the lights will be controlled by timers. 

“The club is thrilled to have outdoor courts again,” says Joy Sanguedolce, a member of the club’s board of directors. “Besides being an awesome sport to play the best thing about pickleball is our sense of community. Most members I spoke to are just as excited to pull up a lawn chair and socialize with their friends and other enthusiasts”

Sanguedolce invites the public come out and try the game. 

“It will also be fun to watch so if you don’t play you should come out to see the sport in action, she adds. “There are many players from our club who are at the top of their game and as a spectator sport you’ll be in for a treat when the pros come out to play.”

Public Play Schedule:

Monday – Friday:
One court: 8:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
Six courts: 1:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Three courts: 4:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.

Saturday and Sunday:
One court: 8:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
Three courts: 12:30 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.

All other court times/courts are reserved for the NOTL Pickleball Club.