George Ben Park New Sports Court

• Spring to Summer 2025: Pre-Engagement and Community Engagement Phase 1
• Summer 2026: Hire a design team
• Fall 2026: Community Engagement Phase 2, design development and detailed design
• Winter 2026: Hire a construction team
• Spring 2027: Construction starts
• Fall 2027: Construction complete

The timeline is subject to change.

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Level of Engagement

This project has been classified as a high-level Consult project based on the International Association for Public Participation Spectrum. This means we obtain public feedback on existing analysis, alternatives and/or proposals.

In 2019, City Council adopted the Parks and Recreation Facilities Plan, which identified a need for new tennis and pickleball courts across the city, including within Ward 11. As confirmed in the 2023 Pickleball Play Report (2023.IE4.5), pickleball courts are in high demand city-wide and staff should evaluate all tennis court projects for the inclusion of pickleball, including within Ward 11.

Parks in Ward 11 were evaluated for suitability for pickleball courts based on their available space, topography, complementary facilities and setbacks from residences. The intent of this project is to keep the soccer field and add a sports court

In February 2025, the project team conducted stakeholder interviews with the City’s Park Operations team, Pope Francis Catholic School and permit holders to understand current park usage and identify opportunities for improvement.

In this phase, the project team collected community feedback and preferences for a tennis and/or pickleball court through an online thought exchange activity.  Feedback from this phase will help develop the design options for Community Engagement Phase 2.

May to June 2025

Online Thought Exchange Activity

From May 26 to June 16, over 240 people participated in an online interactive thought exchange activity where they provided 203 ideas and over 4,500 idea ratings. The Thought Exchange Activity asked the question, “How would a new tennis and/or pickleball facility at George Ben Park benefit you or your community?”

Feedback Summary

At the beginning of this activity, the exact location and size of the proposed sports courts were not specified. The site map was added after the launch of the activity to provide more context and clarity on the project scope.

Overall, the proposed sports court received mixed reactions from the community:

• 55 per cent were not in support of adding sports courts
• 30 per cent were interested in adding sports courts
• 15 per cent were unsure about the proposed sports courts

The main concerns raised by participants who did not support adding new tennis and/or pickleball courts at the park included:

• The existing open field should be preserved as a free, accessible and flexible multi-use green space for the local community.
• The open field is heavily used by children and students nearby as an important recreational space.
• If the proposed courts operate on a permit basis, affordability and accessibility for other park users may be reduced.
• The need for additional courts was questioned given the availability of nearby courts in the neighbourhood.
• Local students, parents, residents and other key park users were not adequately consulted in the engagement process.

The main reasons shared by participants who were interested in adding new tennis and/or pickleball courts at the park included:

• New tennis and/or pickleball courts would provide additional opportunities for recreation, physical activity and social connections.
• Additional courts could help relieve pressure on nearby facilities that are often at capacity.
• Sports such as pickleball are accessible, low-barrier activities that can be enjoyed by people of all ages and skill levels.
• Having sports courts within walking distance would increase recreational access for local residents.
• The new courts would promote health and fitness at the park and encourage greater park use.

Other common feedback provided by participants who were unsure about the benefits of the proposed tennis and/or pickleball courts included:

• There was a strong preference to retain as much green space as possible, as the field serves as a flexible, multi-use open space.
• Other recreational amenities or sports court options should be explored to better meet diverse community needs.
• Concerns were raised about potential noise impacts from the proposed courts on nearby residents.
• Community members expressed interest in amenities such as shade structures and water bottle refill stations to enhance overall park use.

Participants were asked to indicate their preferred court type, should new tennis and/or pickleball courts be added to the park.

• 58 per cent prefer the design to include both tennis and pickleball courts
• 26 per cent prefer to only include tennis courts
• 16 per cent prefer to only include pickleball courts

If budget and space allow, the top three additional amenities participants would like to see at George Ben Park were:

• Shade structure (47 per cent)
• Seating (45 per cent)
• Picnic tables (38 per cent)

The online interactive report for this Thought Exchange activity could be found here.

In this phase, the project team built on the outcomes of Community Engagement Phase 1 to develop design options for the proposed new tennis and/or pickleball courts.

These options were presented to the community for feedback, which will inform the development of a preferred design for the new courts. Consideration for noise mitigation and maintaining open green space was prioritized through the design process.

October 2026

Online Survey

From October 9 to 26, community feedback on multiple tennis and/or pickleball court design options was collected in an online survey. The survey received a total of 308 responses.

A summary of the survey feedback will be posted on this page.

In-Person Pop-Up Event

On October 19, community feedback on multiple tennis and/or pickleball court design options was collected at a pop-up event in George Ben Park. Approximately 36 community members attended the event.

A summary of the pop-up feedback will be posted on this page.