Some long-time tennis players say a new pilot program charging for some court reservations at Vancouver’s Kits Beach will change the way the community plays—and not for the better. The Vancouver Board of Parks and Recreation in partnership with Tennis BC, launched the pilot in May. It allows players to reserve three of the 10 courts at Kits Beach for a fee—ranging from six to ten dollars on weekdays and up to 12 dollars on weekends. Some regulars worry the change could limit access and alter the culture of the courts. “My first reaction is that it will destroy the community. It will destroy access for people that don’t have the means,” said Alex Cordero, an advocate for public tennis courts. Cordero says one of the benefits of the current system is how players self-regulate. “I’ve been coming down here for a long, long time, and there’s rarely any problems with waiting for courts or giving up courts. People are very civil about it.” The pilot program isn’t limited to Kits Beach. It has also been introduced at courts in Queen Elizabeth and Stanley Parks, where the majority of courts also remain free. Frustration over the changes has prompted a petition opposing the program. “We already pay for these. We pay taxes. This is one of the most expensive cities in the world. And then adding more expenses to your life just for doing sports is not, right,” said Daniel Coulson, who started the petition. Coulson says the impact goes beyond just court access. “The impact of this new imposed, system is affecting our community, the way that we can build connections with people and the way that we are going to be able to play this sport,” he said. Tennis BC says the goal of the pilot is to improve access. “The whole initiative with the pilot project is to bring positivity, inclusivity and accessibility to our public courts,” said Henry Choi, executive director of Tennis BC. Choi says the money collected from reservations will be reinvested into the system. “We’re hoping to resurface new courts, potentially upkeep some other public facilities on the east side of Vancouver and really just build a positive community everywhere in Vancouver, If we can,” he said. He also points out most courts remain free to use. “You have a vast majority of the courts that are still free. Even the courts that we oversee, if they’re not being utilized, they are free,” Choi said. In a statement, the Vancouver Board of Parks and Recreation says permit allocations can help manage court use, including addressing issues such as unauthorized commercial instruction and monopolization. However, Coulson says there has been little response from the city despite attempts to engage. “I feel like people are not hearing us. The people making these kind of decisions, they need to take into consideration the point of view of the actual people that play here and how it affects the community,” he said. The pilot is set to run until the end of September. Choi says the data will be reviewed to make a decision at a later date.
