Capital Daily:
North Saanich adds EV stations and pickleball security
At the June 20 regular council meeting, staff presented a report on the CRD-led regional public electric vehicle (EV) charging network grant application and its two suggested EV charging stations at Patricia Bay Park. After Coun. Stock raised the concern that the Patricia Bay parking lot is always full, council still voted to authorize the charging stations but with an amendment that allows for having them at other locations.
Security hired to close pickleball courts at day’s end
Staff also presented a report on pickleball, where they suggested that North Saanich hire a security firm (at an estimated $3K in 2022) to close the courts at the end of each day in the summer, in efforts to mitigate the sport’s noise.
Coun. Jack McClintock raised concerns that it might be difficult for guards to stop players during their game, saying "I guess we just have to wait and see whether or not it’s accepted by the pickleball community." He added that he’d rather see the courts policed by the pickleball community rather than taxpayers, and is disappointed they haven’t stepped up to enforce this. All councillors voted in favour of hiring the security firm.
Fisticuffs feared over pickleball on tennis courts
(Central Saanich) Council will also receive no fewer than 10 pieces of correspondence both in favour and against pickleball players’ use of tennis courts. Signage was recently removed from the Centennial Tennis Courts, which had prohibited pickleballers from the courts. That has aroused fears of potential "fisticuffs" in the words of one resident, with many agreeing the two sports are not compatible. Pickleball-vs-tennis conflicts have flared up in several Island-region municipalities, even sparking a community centre "coup" for control of facilities.
with many agreeing the two sports are not compatible
The two sports are perfectly compatible. It's no different than a couple good tennis players serving overhand and having a proper game, and on the next court a couple serving underhand and just trying for an extended, friendly rally. I see more of the latter than former.
Pickleball has just made courts more popular, especially at peak times. And so suddenly the tennis purists think the pickleball players are taking up space that belongs to them.
Edited by Victoria Watcher, 27 June 2022 - 06:19 AM.