A lot has been made about the cost of building a new pickleball court following the closure of the Wain Park courts off of Birch Road. What has not been discussed enough is the road safety on Birch Road. We live on Chalet Road and our complaint was the number of vehicles parked on a narrow road during the day, making Birch Road a one-lane road for residents and walkers. This road is used as a main thoroughfare for elementary students on their way to and from school, as well as the traffic to the local service station and corner store.
A long-standing noise bylaw states: No person shall disturb or tend to disturb the quiet, peace, rest, enjoyment, comfort, or convenience of any person or persons in the neighbourhood or vicinity by making or causing or permitting to be made or caused, any noise in or on a public or private place.
The pickleball court is in contravention of the noise bylaw for the comfort of the residents near the Wain Park court. Your home is the biggest investment you make in your life and your lifestyle and comfort shouldn't be negatively impacted by a non-essential activity. The priority is the residents, not people playing a game. The homeowners being impacted should have the only voice in this pickleball battle and this includes residents who must drive around illegally parked vehicles. Birch Road is not the appropriate location for a highly used venue, seven days a week from dawn to dusk.
As far as the cost of relocating the court to a location that will not contravene a long-standing bylaw, our council needs to look at a central location where residents on the Peninsula can share in the cost. One location that would fit this bill is Hampson Park between the Pat Bay Highway and Lochside Drive. Instead of Sidney, North Saanich and Central Saanich spending the money to build individual courts, it makes sense to coordinate funds and build an open facility or covered courts which could help with the noise. There would be plenty of off-street parking to eliminate parking on residential streets. Using the west side of Hampson Park would make it possible to leave 600 metres from existing homes or build a sound barrier wall on the south side.
North Saanich residents should not be on the hook for building the courts when the supporters have made it clear this is a growing sport. Make this a Peninsula effort instead of waiting decades for equalizing the cost like what happened with Panorama Recreation Centre. The users of pickleball courts could pay a membership fee to cover ongoing costs.
Jo-Anne Berezanski
North Saanich