Pickleball players could see some seed money for new courts in south Barrie.
Council approved a motion Monday to support Barrie Pickelball Club’s $25,000 application for a Horizons Seniors Grant and, if approved, using these funds to help convert the Painswick Park tennis courts to pickleball courts - subject to council’s consideration of a requested staff report on the cost and feasibility of this change.
Coun. Mike McCann, who made the direct motion on this matter, said the deadline for the grant application is Oct. 20.
“The Barrie (Pickleball Club) asked me for my endorsement,” he said. “I thought it would have more impact if it came from Barrie city council collectively.
“There is no money ask, it’s just a support letter,” McCann said. “I’d love to see Barrie as a destination pickleball centre.”
Pickleball combines elements of tennis, badminton and ping-pong. It’s played both outside and indoors on a badminton-sized court with a slightly modified tennis net. Players use paddles to hit a plastic ball with holes; the sport can be played as singles or doubles.
“It is an incredibly addictive sport, particularly if you come from any other racquet sport background. The skills are virtually transferrable,” said Kim Porter, a member of Barrie Pickleball Club. “It’s so incredibly fun to play and it’s so incredibly social. People develop a passion for it.”
She said that because pickleball is played on a small surface, with your opponents just across the net from you, players can be competitive and social at the same time.
“The culture of pickleball is you play a game, which lasts about 12-15 minutes, on average, you go off the court and then you mix up your partner and your opponent,” Porter said.
Pickleball is also a relatively safe sport, which is why it’s played by an age group ranging from children to seniors, she said.
“Other than your mobility itself, you can’t really get hurt from the ball,” Porter said. “It’s just a light whiffle ball; it might smart for a minute.
“Part of the fun is when you hit somebody.”
Coun. Natalie Harris said she’s not an athlete, but can play pickleball.
“This was doable for me. I mean, I’m not good, but it was fun,” she said. “And it was something I think anyone can participate in.”
In August, council approved a motion that operations department staff investigate the feasibility and associated costs of converting the Painswick Park tennis courts to a minimum of eight pickleball courts, designed with appropriate lighting and in accordance with the USAPA and International Federation of Pickleball Rulebook, to ensure this site can enable Barrie to host sanctioned tournaments, and report back to general committee.
Painswick Park is located west of Ashford Drive, south of Big Bay Point Road, on 9.7 acres of land. It already has two outdoor pickleball courts.
Also in August, council passed a motion that development services department staff investigate the feasibility and associated costs related to converting Redpath Hopscotch/Four Square Court to a single, dedicated pickleball court, and look into the potential to advance this work in the 2021 Business Plan to 2020, pending review of available staff time, and report back to general committee.
Staff will also investigate converting the half-basketball court in Greenfield Park to a pickleball court in 2021.
