The sound of pickleball paddles striking whiffle balls likely won’t return to Virgil Sports Park this spring and summer, the Town of Niagara-on-the-Lake announced Thursday — a flashback to the situation that unfolded four years ago, when the town became the subject of a two-year ban on pickleball at the Virgil courts.
During a closed session of committee of the whole Tuesday, town council decided to keep the courts closed while it works to “develop a solution that provides pickleball players with access to an appropriate outdoor court this season.”
“Staff are already working to identify options for the 2026 season and will share more following council’s decision,” the town said in its announcement.
Council is expected to give final approval at its Feb. 24 meeting.
At this time, town isn’t sharing a reason for the closure, saying only that the matter involves “confidential legal considerations.”
“Certain discussions were required to take place in closed session in accordance with the Municipal Act,” the town said.
This isn’t the first time pickleball has been shut down at the Virgil Sports Parks: the courts were also closed from 2022 to 2024 after a Welland court imposed a two-year ban on pickleball at the park.
In 2022, a resident of the courts’ neighbouring Lambert’s Park condominiums took both the town and the NOTL Pickleball Club to court over what she described as excessive noise from the park.
A judge found both the town and the club in violation of the municipal noise bylaw and ordered the two-year probation on pickleball at the Virgil courts. The town and the club were also each fined $1,000.
The courts reopened in summer 2024 with acoustic panels installed to mitigate the noise levels.
If council approves this latest decision, the town said it will look to provide “appropriate outdoor alternatives for the 2026 season.”
Pickleball will remain available outdoors at Queenston Heights Park and indoors year-round at the NOTL Community Centre, as well as at Centennial Arena in the spring and summer.
