Council proposes more public talks about Delhi pickleball courts

By Sharon Harrison
Pickleball has been a hot topic of discussion around the County recently, with a large contingent of residents upset with the proposed Delhi Park location (right across from the Picton Community Gardens) for the construction of six dedicated pickleball courts to be installed.

Council had decided on Jan. 30, 2024 that it would be a suitable site. And while a petition garnering 900 signatures is circling for the decision to be re-considered, there are also those in favour of the project with 200-plus petition signatures declaring support that the former garbage dump would be an ideal spot for pickleball.

Stephanie Roth, Prince Edward Pickleball (PEP) chair, said there are a number of inaccuracies circulating in the community and corrected some of the mis-information during council’s meeting Tuesday night. Also of note, Delhi Park comprises 31 acres: the confirmed pickleball site represents 1.3 per cent of the space.

“There will be no dome. There will be no stadium seating. There is no plan to remove the beautiful mature trees. The courts will be a free public recreation facility,” stated Roth, adding how the proposed new courts will be municipally-owned and a controlled recreation facility where the County will determine the rules and regulations for their use.

Councillor Brad Nieman stated not enough public consultation has been undertaken and that there needs to be a further meeting(s). And while the County has undergone extensive public engagement and consultation, including with local agencies and community groups, some were initially excluded from those, he noted.

His request for an additional stakeholder engagement meeting on the pickleball court project of community interest, received council support. However, mayor Steve Ferguson reminded that there will be no change or re-consideration of location.

“We are not changing the location,” added Nieman, “we are not saying we are looking for other spots.”

The proposed meeting is to include current and future plans, including the site selection process, and will include stakeholders, user groups and PEP. Nieman’s resolution asks for a staff report to come back to council with a summary of the survey and public engagement results, before the end March 2027.

“We make sure we have a meeting that all the stakeholders are there that are going to be affected that whatever happens in the park,” said Nieman. “I don’t think anybody is saying no to pickleball, it’s having that communication that everybody is at the table and is going to be beneficial to everybody.”

Councillor Phil St-Jean said there needs to be more co-operation. “And more conversation to try to come to a resolution that is satisfactory to most.”

Three deputations (two against, one in favour) were heard, including from PEP and Picton Community Gardens (PCG), along with six (three in favour, three against) pre-registered comments from the public.

While many in the public gallery (and spilling into the adjacent room) had shown up expecting to be able to provide a comment, that opportunity was not allowed, this despite the mayor asking earlier how many wished to speak, implying they could have that opportunity. Council then voted to suspend hearing further public comments in the interest of time, and to avoid duplication.

Councillor Janice Maynard said after receiving an hour of comments, they had a good cross-section. “I am hesitant to extend these meetings longer… I think extending it for more comments is not overly productive”.

Of those allowed a comment, many were against the proposed Delhi Park location for the placement of the pickleball courts, citing noise concerns, and a disturbance of the quiet natural environment from what is considered a noisy and loud sport. Others cited concern with increased traffic, the requirement for more parking, and the detrimental increased lighting.

There was also concern about how there has been no public consultation with local residents, neighbours, park users and others, where several community groups and organizations had not been aware of the proposal.

Councillor Kate MacNaughton said she was concerned at the promotion of the idea that the process hasn’t been transparent, saying she doesn’t believe that’s the case at all.

“Council responded to a public request at public meetings, this in itself is transparent, it was reported on going back several years. Council meetings are public meetings, there is room for people to comment and understand more,” she said. “The public consultation aspect could have been stronger, but I don’t believe there was any ill intent to prevent transparency.”

Roth spoke in support of Delhi Park as the location for the pickleball courts, and provided an update on the project.

It was in April 2022 that council declared the construction of new dedicated pickleball courts a “project of community interest”. In August 2023, the municipality and PEP entered into an agreement to advance the project. In January 2024, council confirmed Delhi Park as the site for the new dedicated pickleball courts, directing staff to continue to work with PEP on the development of the project.

Our objective today is to reinforce the importance of this project and encourage a collaborative approach on the part of all concerned, said Roth.

“Delhi Park is zoned as a public park that’s intended for recreation, gathering and community connection. This is evidenced by its past and current uses, such as baseball diamonds, playground and toboggan hill, community gardens and dog park, future trail connections.”

“Frankly, we just don’t get it,” expressed Roth. “Why are some people so opposed to others using a small portion of a large park to do something that contributes to their health, happiness and social connection?”

Terri Trickett, representing Picton Community Gardens (PCG established in 2016), also a project of community interest, requested that council re-consider their decision on placement of the proposed pickleball courts.

She noted, that despite signing an agreement with the County in July 2024 that held them responsible to certain practices, PCG has never been formally consulted on the proposed pickleball courts.

Trickett said, “… no inclusive discussions, renderings, consultations or ramifications were ever forthcoming… despite the information session held in Delhi Park a few weeks ago, no one still has any clear idea of what this project’s final size, full impact, on-going costs, or final designs are.

“Yet, somehow it was approved and slated to be put across the road from the PCG, which will forever change the character of the gardens as a spot of tranquility,” said Trickett.

Susan Banks also asked council to re-consider its decision on the Delhi Park location, noting how pickleball courts will bring noise, and are not compatible with the park.

“The hard paddles and the hard plastic balls create a high frequency pop that travels easily. A single active court generates about 55 to 70 decibels of sound at 50 to100 feet, whereas tennis generates 40 decibels of sound,” she outlined. “Over 60 decibels is considered very annoying to humans. It has health effects, particularly raising stress levels. Some liken it to hearing gunshot all day long.

“Placing pickleball courts in a valley, such as Delhi Park, can amplify sound like an amphitheatre. Pickleball courts will bring more traffic and bright lights to the park. No doubt there will be a demand for more parking. All this will destroy what we love about the park.”

“I won’t be supporting pickleball in Delhi because I believe it should be a naturalized park,” said councillor Chris Braney.

Liz Driver, representing the Prince Edward Heritage Conservancy suggested the pickleball project in Delhi Park should be paused until there is a better understanding of Delhi Park itself, and the impact of six courts at the park entrance.

“I was a little surprised at how little information and analysis was provided at the public information centre,” said Driver, who added Delhi Park is much more than open space “to be carved up amongst community groups. It is a unique and precious public asset that needs to be considered as a whole.”

Referencing the Cultural Heritage Master plan (approved by council last week), Driver stated that it recommends as a high priority evaluating Delhi Park as a cultural heritage landscape under the natural heritage theme.

“Delhi Park is the only high-priority landscape for nature in Picton, and one of only eight high-priority landscapes for the nature theme in the entire County,” said Driver. “We need a collective vision and a master plan for guiding change, so before adding new infrastructure, pause, have the conversations to find out why Delhi Park matters to people, then map the appropriate activities.”

St-Jean said what has failed to be mentioned is that staff staked out the potential site.

“And what everybody keeps forgetting is that this is actually an athletic field,” said St-Jean. “In 1969, the former town of Picton dedicated that space as the Angus LeHeup Delhi Athletic Field when the dump was closed. It was re-dedicated in 2006 as an athletic field using grant money, so there’s multiple uses there”.