Saanich pickleball association says reasons for court closure unfounded

It’s been quiet at the pickleball courts at Wain Park in North Saanich, B.C., for three months after the municipality closed the courts due to complaints.

“That information really upset the residents and the pickleball community,” said Brad Watson, president of the Saanich Peninsula Pickleball Association.

Watson points to five FOIs his group has now obtained from the municipality of North Saanich that he claims discredit the reasons given for the closure of the courts, beginning with excessive noise.

“One of the FOIs showed that they did no sound measurements,” said Watson.

Another reason cited for the closure was bullying and harassment allegations by pickleball players towards council members, the mayor and nearby residents.

On May 9, North Saanich Mayor Peter Jones was on CFAX 1070 speaking about those claims of harassment.

“There is a small minority of the pickleball players that are actually harassing, bullying and just generally making life miserable for a number of residents in that area,” said Jones.

“Nothing came back on that, actually the reverse was true,” said the president of the Saanich Peninsula Pickleball Association. “There were 10 incidents of harassment towards the pickleball players from one of the surrounding neighbours and that was documented.”

CTV News reached out to the mayor for comment although that request went unanswered.

In May, Watson and his association conducted an experiment in Oak Bay’s Carnarvon Park where sound mitigation has been installed and those results are in.

“It said sound mitigation reduces it to the level of tennis, it takes away the high frequency and brings down the volume completely,” said Watson.

“I’m a resident of North Saanich, I’ve been here for 50 years,” said John Coare, who was walking through Wain Park on Monday.

Coare wants to see the pickleball courts reopened even though he’s not a pickleball player.

“This is a park and people should have a way of entertaining themselves and there should be facilities to do that.”

“Pickleball is more about community,” said Watson. “People meet here and form friendships.”

The Saanich Peninsula Pickball Association wants to see the North Saanich council open up the courts again with proper noise mitigation so the game can go on without upsetting the neighbours.