Council approves single source for pickleball courts

Jeff Helsdon, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

If everything goes as planned, Tillsonburg will have three new pickleball courts by this summer.

Council approved single sourcing three new pickleball courts through Court Surface Specialists, which installed the existing courts. A report from Andrea Greenway, Director of Recreation, Culture and Parks, outlined the rationale, explaining that when the existing courts were installed in 2024, this company was the only one whose primary expertise was building pickleball courts and its bid came in $100,000 less than the other companies.

Under the town’s purchasing policy, single sourcing is allowed in this case due to the cost savings involved. The courts will be funded from development charges.

The new pickleball courts were included in the 2026 budget. Originally, the new courts were slated for 2027 but were moved up because the demand for pickleball courts had reached the point court capacity can’t keep up with demand.

Mayor Deb Gilvesy asked how fast the courts would be built, and was told it could be this spring.

Coun. Chris Rosehart pointed out there are some dead spots in the existing courts and erosion at the edges, and asked if this would be repaired. Greenway assured this would be fixed in the spring under warranty.

Deputy Mayor Dave Beres questioned the exact location of the new courts, and if it would be adjacent to the existing ones.

“Is there room between there and the street,” he asked.

Greenway said that is the intent, but exact measuring will take place in the spring.

In related news, town resident David Csepei appeared before council as a delegation earlier in the meeting, asking for more information on the pickleball courts.

He wanted a cost breakdown, questioning why it cost $200,000 for two additional courts.

“We already own the land, I want to see why it costs $200,000,” he said.

He also asked what would occur if membership of the Tillsonburg Pickleball Club rose from the current 150 to 300, and if there would be an ask for more courts.

“You can’t continue to cater to this,” Csepei said.

Gilvesy said the court costs are similar to what other communities are paying.

“We are not catering to a particular group,” she said. “There is a recreation master plan and we are following that.”

She corrected that there are three courts, and said the master plan, which covers 10 years, doesn’t call for more beyond that.

Coun. Chris Parker also said council was following the master plan.

Coun. Kelly Spencer informed Csepei that the pickleball club is not associated with the town.