Halifax city council could close pickleball court due to 'excessive' noise

Head of Victoria regional pickleball association Connie McCann holds a polymer paddle and ball at Central Park court in Victoria, B.C., on Thursday, April 28, 2022. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chad Hipolito)

HALIFAX — Pickleball courts in a Halifax suburb are in danger of being shut down by the city after drawing complaints from residents who describe the noise levels as "excessive."

The Halifax Regional Municipality's community planning and economic development committee voted Thursday to convert a set of pickleball courts in Castle Hill Park back into tennis courts while seeking out more appropriate pickleball sites elsewhere in the municipality.

Coun. Kathryn Morse says she brought a motion forward after receiving noise complaints from people in her district who "couldn't stand the noise" generated from people playing pickleball just 10 metres away from a condo complex.

Morse says the municipal council will have the final say when it votes either in January or February on whether to convert the courts back to tennis.

A study completed by municipal staff says Halifax should follow Vancouver's approach to pickleball, adopted after lawsuits were filed against the city in 2021 and 2022 for excessive pickleball noise.

The Halifax report says that under the Vancouver model, pickleball courts are required to be evenly distributed throughout the city and use appropriate sound barriers to keep noise levels below 50 decibels.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 13, 2024.

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