At the last municipal council meeting on July 7, citizens questioned the possible changes concerning the installation of a refrigerated skating rink where the current tennis courts are located at Pleasant View Beach. Rumors suggest that the tennis courts will be rebuilt at Parc des Rivières. Of course, the land is located in a flood zone and is also contaminated, which may pose certain risks. Unfortunately, this is the only solution available to the municipality of North Hatley at this time.
What will be the surface of the future tennis courts?
People are wondering about the surface. According to the mayor, they will not be asphalt courts. In fact, the questions mainly concern the municipality’s management of the tennis courts. According to the council meeting, reservations will be made online and access will be via an access code or chip. You will first need to purchase a membership card.
Can tennis courts be built on contaminated land located in a flood zone?
A citizen points out that 18 inches of soil would have to be dug up from a former municipal landfill in order to build a tennis court in Rivières Park. According to the mayor, studies are currently underway on the subject. Obviously, a tennis court must be level, regardless of its surface.
Can we purchase land in the township of Hatley to build our tennis courts?
Ms. Guerrish says no. She and her family are determined to keep the tennis courts in North Hatley. Therefore, this is not a viable option.
Are we at risk of losing our tennis courts to the ice rink?
Citizens are wondering if we will lose the tennis courts to the refrigerated ice rink. Ms. Guerrish points out that there can certainly be no refrigerated ice rink if the tennis courts cannot be relocated elsewhere.
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Furthermore, according to the mayor, a survey is currently being conducted to ensure that the needs of the North Hatley population are being met.
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Will we see pickleball courts appear in North Hatley?
Pickleball seems to be the solution requested by citizens. However, pickleball cannot be installed on top of tennis courts. They will likely be installed during the summer on the concrete of the refrigerated skating rink. They could also be placed elsewhere. Ms. Guerrish says she has spoken with a company that can make pickleball courts that are easy to install and remove. Our elected officials are currently considering the matter, as it seems that pickleball is noisy. In fact, some citizens are concerned about the noise from pickleball.
That said, as Claude Ruel used to say, “il n’y en aura pas de facile” in North Hatley. But Marcella Guerrish has promised that even if we install a refrigerated ice rink, keeping the tennis courts is a prerequisite for moving forward. No tennis courts, no refrigerated ice rink! That’s reassuring for tennis fans!
