The Qualicum Beach Pickleball Club was told to focus on raising funds for the designated pickleball courts the town plans to build.
Council made the statement during its regular meeting on March 12, in response to a correspondence the town had received requesting pickleball courts be set up at the Qualicum Beach tennis courts on Veterans Way.
The letter sought permission to book Court No. 2 of the tennis courts and use temporary markings for pickleball. This would allow four temporary outdoor courts. It was also suggested the town can paint permanent pickleball lines on Court No. 3 that will slightly encroach on Court No. 2 to accommodate four pickleball courts.
With the tennis courts due to be resurfaced this year, the letter indicated it is a good time to make the adjustment and added approximately 20 players are willing to contribute $100 towards the resurfacing, which is estimated to cost about $50,000
Mayor Teunis Westbroek indicated council already made a decision not to put pickleball courts at the tennis courts and that focus should be placed more on a new site the town has allocated for designated pickleball courts, located beside the Qualicum Beach Skatepark.
Council, last year, earmarked $85,000 in the 2024 budget for the pickleball courts initiative and had asked the club to match it through fundraiser. The club last September indicated their inability to meet that condition. Instead, the club asked the town to redesign the tennis courts to allow pickleball courts to be set up. It required painting pickleball lines on the tennis courts as well as some reconfiguration to allow them to play on two of the three courts. This was opposed by the Arrowsmith Tennis Club.
Westbroek suggested the pickleball club to start fundraising for the courts. And to get the ball rolling, Westbroek said he and a member of the club, Judy Wood, are going to donate money towards the project.
And in order to generate some excitement and interest, Westbroek suggested the new site be made public so people will know where the proposed designated pickleball courts will be established.
"I think it would be good for the pickleball players to show that this is the location, here's how we can raise funds, send your money to the pickleball club ... they should do their own marketing but I am just helping them, because this is where we need to go," said Westbroek. "We have money in the budget to help us cross the finish line."
