Pickleball could be a player in Barrie’s 2022 budget process.
Councillors have set aside $650,000 in the city’s reinvestment reserve for 14 future pickleball courts.
City staff will present details of potential projects early next year, ahead of any money actually being committed.
“Tonight, we’re approving nothing, other than we’re going to shelve $650,000 in a reserve and when staff come back in January" to decide whether or not to spend it, Coun. Mike McCann said during Monday night’s budget talks.
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, and pickleball can be played as singles or doubles.
But McCann said Barrie only has four pickleball courts for hundreds of players.
“It’s come to a supply-and-demand scenario that we have way more demand than we have supply and we have players that are driving to Orillia and driving to Newmarket,” the Ward 10 councillor said.
McCann said he would like the 14 courts built in one location, so they could be used for pickleball tournaments.
“You want to stick them all together because that’s where you get some synergies going, some chemistry,” he said.
But three councillors noted the courts are anything but a done deal.
Coun. Ann-Marie Kungl said there is no site which would be ready next year.
“I just don’t want to get the pickleball community or this council hopeful that something will happen in 2022,” she said. “I see the intention of putting money aside, so that if something is possible there are dollars there that we don’t have to hunt for.”
Coun. Robert Thomson said he wants to see how the dollars work
“I’d love to see a great business model when you (McCann) come in January to justify it,” he said. “I know there’s no land purchase in this. As much as it’s nice to have the amenities in a growing community, there’s still a responsibility to the taxpayer. I will support it because it’s more conceptual than a commitment.”
“This is money set aside and we have a lot of research to do,” said Coun. Natalie Harris.
McCann said what’s not in question is pickleball’s popularity.
“Pickleball, I love for this reason,” he said. “Tennis you need to have a skill set to play, because the variance from a good player to a weak player… there’s no game. But pickleball in the initial game can actually be for people who have very little skill sets. All you need is a little hand-eye co-ordination and a little patience and you can play.”
The city’s reinvestment reserve has a balance of about $8.5 million, said city treasurer Craig Millar.
City council will consider final approval for setting the $650,000 aside at its Dec. 6 meeting, as part of the 2022 operating and capital budget.
