Grey Highlands Deputy Mayor Dane Nielsen is concerned that the municipality is rushing into the construction of new pickleball courts without a full understanding of how much the facility will cost taxpayers in the future.
At its meeting on March 5, council voted 6-1 in favour of approving a staff report that recommended approval of an agreement between the municipality and the Pickleball Club of Grey Highlands to allow the club to explore deals for sponsorships, advertising and naming rights for new pickleball courts that could be built beside the arena in Flesherton. The resolution also directed staff to submit an application for funding for the project to the provincial Community Sport and Recreation Infrastructure Fund.
In December 2024, council voted in favour of pursuing a community-led project to get pickleball courts built on land adjacent to the arena facility in Flesherton.
The local pickleball club is working to raise $100,000 in donations for the project and the sponsorship, advertising and naming rights for the new courts could generate significant revenue for the project.
When council reached the pickleball item on the agenda, Nielsen expressed his concerns that the municipality was rushing into the construction of a new recreation facility without knowing the full long-term cost implications. Nielsen was the lone vote against approving the recommendation.
“We’re not taking in the whole context of the decision,” said Nielsen.
The deputy mayor said he was wary of deciding to go forward with the pickleball project before council had a report about the long-term financial impacts of adding a new facility to the municipality’s inventory.
“It feels like we’re having a hard time taking care of the parks and recreation equipment we have and here we are saying: let’s add something new,” said Nielsen.
Other members of council felt there would be plenty of time for council to receive and review a report about the long-term implications of adding new pickleball courts and there was no reason to hold up the club’s fundraising efforts.
“This will allow the fundraising while we get the capital report,” said Coun. Paul Allen. “These funds are not going to be raised in a week or two or a month or two,” he said.
Coun. Tom Allwood agreed.
“We’ll get that (capital) report well in advance of their fundraising goals. I don’t think we want to hold up that effort,” said Allwood.