UPDATE: On Monday, Chatham-Kent council voted to remove two pickleball courts in Chatham from being constructed in order to fundraise for a pickleball hub in the community.
A tender has been awarded to Westhoek Construction to construct the eight other pickleball courts in Blenheim, Dresden, Tilbury, and Wallaceburg for the amount of $627,581.
Construction of the courts is expected to begin in the spring of 2023.
There's been a change of heart around two pickleball courts in Chatham.
The municipality said the Chatham-Kent Pickleball Club is now looking into a pickleball hub in Chatham instead of the two courts that were previously approved to be built next to W.K. Erickson Arena.
A report by Director of Parks and Recreation Rob Pollock going before council on Monday evening stated that the Pickleball Club has agreed to remove the two courts in Chatham because the project tenders came in over budget. So, it was either dish out more money or cut the courts.
The club will now be authorized to fundraise for a four-court pickleball hub at a location in Chatham that meets their needs.
The eight other pickleball courts in Blenheim, Dresden, Tilbury, and Wallaceburg will go ahead as scheduled, according to the report.
According to Pollock, the eight court will cost just over $627,000, which is a little more than $20,000 over budget.
He said the $20,000 will be funded from reserves if the report is approved by council.
