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Hugo Ray Park pickleball courts


November 7, 2023 Update

The District has entered into a partnership with Tennis BC to explore the possibility of an indoor community tennis facility, including pickleball courts, at Hugo Ray Park. Tennis BC is excited to be exploring this potential opportunity with the District to provide accessible indoor public tennis courts, pickleball courts and inclusive programming to our local community.

This collaboration and partnership with Tennis BC allows us to combine efforts and resources, in order to provide the community opportunity for year-round play.

Staff continue to gather information and explore the feasibility for this facility in the southeast region of Hugo Ray Park. When information gathering is complete, a report will be prepared for Council’s consideration.

Please visit westvancouver.ca/sports-courts to sign up for sports court updates by email to be informed when the Council date has been confirmed.


Engagement Summary Report

The Community Engagement Committee received the following report summarizing the results of the community engagement on March 8, 2023. The report has been provided to Council for their information.

Engagement Summary Report (PDF)


Pickleball courts at Hugo Ray Park

View larger park mapFour permanent dedicated pickleball courts are being proposed to be built at Hugo Ray Park. Pickleball is a fast-growing sport that can be played by people of all ages.

Two location options within the park are being considered, and the District collected community feedback on these two options (Option A or Option C) from June 10 to 4 p.m. on June 27, 2022.

The feedback will assist in determining the optimal location for dedicated pickleball courts in Hugo Ray Park.



Option AOption C
Impacts to park and usersLow impact on park users as it utilizes an underused area of the park. There will be some impact from the removal of trees.Some impacts to the current usage of the park as it affects circulation between the Pavilion Clubhouse and the parking lot, and between the cricket pitches. This location would be visually prominent to residences and current users of the park.
NoiseNot expected to have a significant impact on noise on residences west and south of the park.Not expected to have a significant impact on noise on residences west and south of the park.
Future expansionAllows for future expansion to the east or south of the Pavilion Clubhouse.Allows for future expansion to the east or south of the Pavilion Clubhouse.
Class D cost estimatePreliminary Class D estimate for this option is $516,000, which includes the removal of trees and extra earthworks required at this location.Preliminary Class D estimate for this option is $465,000 which includes the relocation of irrigation utilities and a fire hydrant, while retaining emergency access to the Pavilion Clubhouse.


Community feedback

The survey and comment form are now closed. The deadline was 4 p.m. on Monday, June 27.

A virtual information meeting was held on June 21 and a meeting was held in Hugo Ray Park on June 25.

Watch a video of the presentation

Thank you to everyone who shared feedback and asked questions. Staff are reviewing feedback and will report back to Council.


November 7, 2023 Update

The District has entered into a partnership with Tennis BC to explore the possibility of an indoor community tennis facility, including pickleball courts, at Hugo Ray Park. Tennis BC is excited to be exploring this potential opportunity with the District to provide accessible indoor public tennis courts, pickleball courts and inclusive programming to our local community.

This collaboration and partnership with Tennis BC allows us to combine efforts and resources, in order to provide the community opportunity for year-round play.

Staff continue to gather information and explore the feasibility for this facility in the southeast region of Hugo Ray Park. When information gathering is complete, a report will be prepared for Council’s consideration.

Please visit westvancouver.ca/sports-courts to sign up for sports court updates by email to be informed when the Council date has been confirmed.


Engagement Summary Report

The Community Engagement Committee received the following report summarizing the results of the community engagement on March 8, 2023. The report has been provided to Council for their information.

Engagement Summary Report (PDF)


Pickleball courts at Hugo Ray Park

View larger park mapFour permanent dedicated pickleball courts are being proposed to be built at Hugo Ray Park. Pickleball is a fast-growing sport that can be played by people of all ages.

Two location options within the park are being considered, and the District collected community feedback on these two options (Option A or Option C) from June 10 to 4 p.m. on June 27, 2022.

The feedback will assist in determining the optimal location for dedicated pickleball courts in Hugo Ray Park.



Option AOption C
Impacts to park and usersLow impact on park users as it utilizes an underused area of the park. There will be some impact from the removal of trees.Some impacts to the current usage of the park as it affects circulation between the Pavilion Clubhouse and the parking lot, and between the cricket pitches. This location would be visually prominent to residences and current users of the park.
NoiseNot expected to have a significant impact on noise on residences west and south of the park.Not expected to have a significant impact on noise on residences west and south of the park.
Future expansionAllows for future expansion to the east or south of the Pavilion Clubhouse.Allows for future expansion to the east or south of the Pavilion Clubhouse.
Class D cost estimatePreliminary Class D estimate for this option is $516,000, which includes the removal of trees and extra earthworks required at this location.Preliminary Class D estimate for this option is $465,000 which includes the relocation of irrigation utilities and a fire hydrant, while retaining emergency access to the Pavilion Clubhouse.


Community feedback

The survey and comment form are now closed. The deadline was 4 p.m. on Monday, June 27.

A virtual information meeting was held on June 21 and a meeting was held in Hugo Ray Park on June 25.

Watch a video of the presentation

Thank you to everyone who shared feedback and asked questions. Staff are reviewing feedback and will report back to Council.

CLOSED: This comment form closed at 4 p.m. on Monday, June 27.

  • In relation to my preferred Option A: I would like to see the valuable coniferous trees being retained as much as possible, which appears more likely if the land that lies more south and east from the current Option A outline was to be the area designated for the courts, where there appears to be a concentration more of fast growing deciduous poplar trees. Is this possible? Also could the area behind the club house that is already a paved square be utilized, resulting in parking for cars being distributed other than in an unattractive 'parking lot' format?

    Lucinda Jones asked over 2 years ago

     

  • Find an access point that doesn't include driving through a residential neighbourhood which is dangerous for pedestrians and cyclists. I would rather the district focus on improving green spaces that include everyone rather than a few pickle ball players. How about continuing to encourage alternatives to driving everywhere? I think the districts priorities need to be re-evaluated.

    Deanna asked over 2 years ago

     

  • The annoying noise of PB should be played in all our Rec Centers NV/WV as an indoor sports that has a designated time like Basketball, Badminton, Volleyball, etc. It is rather unfair to the other sports players had to pay hundred of dollars annually to get fit/exercise while the PB players can lobby the city and parks dept to spend so much money to do the survey, landslide study, several meetings to come up with the design, cutting beautiful majestic trees to give way to construction of the PB courts and also now our time used to voice our opinions. Please consider the huge costs to the majority of non-players just to build 4 courts and could be more in future if the site is voted by council! I highly disapprove this project. Many other places can be used/reused instead of this controversial site on Hugo Ray Park.

    Susanhadden asked over 2 years ago

     

  • Where the comments from “no significant noise impact to south and north side of park residents”? You don’t have any details based on real studies.

    Jen Choi asked over 2 years ago

    Playing pickleball creates a distinctive sound when the whiffle ball is hit by the player’s paddle. Sound levels also increase when many players are at dedicated courts. One of the reasons Hugo Ray Park is being considered for dedicated pickleball courts is because areas of the park are not in close proximity to adjacent residences. Preliminary distance measurements show Option A and Option C are more than 140 m away from the closest residences. 

    A preliminary acoustic study has been done to determine the impacts of the sound of pickleball from dedicated courts on nearby residences. This study showed that the locations of dedicated pickleball courts shown in Option A and Option C are not expected to have a significant impact from the noise of the sport on residences west and south of the park. More detailed work on sound will be completed once a site option is selected.

  • Follow-up to your answer re Gleneagles bike skills area needing a new location. Could you consider moving to newly decommissioned tennis court at Larson Bay. Might we worth asking residents how much they use the bike skills area, very rarely do I see anyone using this area. Pickleball courts at this venue may help reduce constant graffiti in skate bowl with more participation from regular pickleball usage. Thanks

    PickleballGECC asked over 2 years ago

    Thank you for your comments. Staff will consider this along with all feedback.

  • Hugo Ray is a prime piece of flat real estate in West Vancouver that is terribly under-utilized. It is far away from any residential homes and is the perfect location for pickleball specific courts. (And a driving range if your asking). Location A is superior to C because of the nature of the sport where people gather to exercise and socialize. Location C is too close to wayward cricket balls which are extremely hard and dangerous and too obtrusive to the nature of the park. Location A is superior because the trees could offer some shade to the hot asphalt courts on a summers day as well as allow for expansion in the future. Location A is definitely the more sensical choice.

    JoNanna asked over 2 years ago

     

  • A and C and re-open the excellent courts at 29th. As a tennis player and pickleball player, I can tell you the demand for PB courts far outweighs tennis courts. PB is more accessible to a wider range of ages and skill levels and is much more sociable (due to 4 people being in closer proximity). To close the 29th street courts reeks of NIMBY-ism and is a complete waste of money - they were perfect courts.

    Stephen B asked over 2 years ago

     

  • As a resident of the Esker Lane complex across the park, we are NOT in favor for several reasons and have outlined our written concerns to mayor an council!

    AK asked over 2 years ago

     

  • I'd select Option A for Hugo Ray Park. I'd also like you to consider offering at least 4 courts in Western part of the community. Based on the statistics of registrations in your community drop-in programs at GECC. An ideal spot without concern of neighbours would be next to Skatebowl at the under utilized mountain bike park to South of skate bowl and golf course first hole. Many of the programs sell out within 2-3 minutes of registration opening every Wednesday. There is an obvious and growing interest in this sport in the western part of the community. So then you'd have both ends of West Vancouver covered. There are 31+ tennis courts per 40,000+ residents and soon 4 dedicated pickleball courts. Joint use on some is good but this sport is so big and continues to grow. Beginner classes are constantly full and continued to be offered by Recreation Dept. with no end in site for future interest. Drop-in program at least 5 at Gleneagles are fully booked in prime indoor season. Thank you for continuing to evaluate this multigenerational program and provide dedicated facilities

    PickleballGECC asked over 2 years ago

    Thank you for your comments. Staff have identified the old bike skills area at Gleneagles, adjacent to the skateboard park. If the bike skills area could be moved elsewhere in the vicinity, this would free up this area adjacent to the skateboard park for pickleball courts. Indoor pickleball opportunities are currently available and very popular at both the West Vancouver and Gleneagles Community Centres.

  • Option A is best as it has least impact on existing cricket. Also safer since it’s further away from cricket balls.

    hootie88 asked over 2 years ago

     

Page last updated: 16 Nov 2023, 03:48 PM