A serious tennis match is picking up steam in Saanich.
On one side, a group of tennis enthusiasts hopes to serve up an outdoor clay-court facility on a site next to the Cedar Hill Recreation Centre. At the same time, opponents want to convince Saanich council to bring the idea to a smashing halt.
“The temperature has gotten a lot higher on this than what we’ve seen for other uses in parks,” said Saanich Mayor Frank Leonard. “Pun intended, there’s lot of volleys from the advocates and the opponents on this one.”
The proposal addresses the fact that there are currently no clay courts on Vancouver Island, said John Miller, president of the not-for-profit Cedar Hill Clay Court Tennis Society.
He and other supporters were part of a rally last weekend at the existing pair of baseball diamonds where the courts would be built. Opponents have also staged events there.
Miller said the proposal for an eight-court, outdoor complex, along with a pavilion, has strong backing. The concept calls for using 75 per cent of the ball-field area.
“We have prominent leaders in the tennis community and the governing bodies in the tennis community behind it,” Miller said.
He said the courts would fill a definite gap.
“We haven’t been able to find another city in North America of Victoria’s size that doesn’t actually have a tennis club with multiple courts on it. We think there’s a big need that way, and maybe the bigger need — or, at least, equal need — is having clay courts.
“That’s what everyone’s excited about.”
Tennis courts already in place around the city all have hard-court surfaces, such as asphalt, Miller said. He said a clay-court surface is more “forgiving” than a hard court, can prevent injuries and is usable in the rain.
The term “clay court” actually refers to a surface like crushed rock or brick, with crushed rock projected for Cedar Hill.
Opposition to the clay-court proposal has come together under the banner of a group called Save Cedar Hill Park. As well, members of the Quadra Cedar Hill, Mount Tolmie and Camosun community associations have all raised questions about what is envisioned.
Among Save Cedar Hill Park’s concerns are that it considers the plan is too big for the site and that it gives too much public space over to one organization.
“On principle, I don’t believe in handing over public land for exclusive use,” said Save Cedar Hill Park member Carol Pickup, a former Saanich councillor.
It could also preclude outdoor exhibitions or performances linked to the recreation centre’s arts wing, she said.
Pickup said her major issue is that she feels the process for dealing with such a project has not been followed. She said any changes to parkland can be contentious and, in this case, the plan includes building near Bowker Creek.
“This site absolutely cries out for an ESR, an Environmental Social Review,” Pickup said. The ESR was created by Saanich to look at environmental and social impacts in certain developments.
Pickup said the Saanich parks department should be doing more investigation of the site and the implications of the plan. She said public consultation so far has been “wishy-washy.”
The court facility would cost $1.3 million and be run by the tennis society, Miller said. The society is hoping for a $100,000 grant from Saanich along with a five-year, interest-free $250,000 loan from the municipality.
Having a recreational facility run by a not-for-profit is commonplace and can already be seen around the region with sports such as lawn bowling, squash and soccer, Miller said. He said the plan includes giving Saanich 1,500 hours of use each year for public tennis programs.
The proposal will be debated Nov. 28 at a special committee of the whole meeting. The meeting has been moved from Saanich council chambers to the nearby Garth Homer Centre to accommodate an expected large crowd.
Leonard said the proponents have already attended a number of advisory committee sessions, but council has not yet discussed the plan or anything to do with public financing.
