LaSalle council has agreed to begin a pilot project that grants LaSalle Pickleball Association (LPA) exclusive use of three pickleball courts at LaSalle Landing.
LPA will have use of the courts Monday to Friday from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. from June 16 until October 31, 2025.
Councillor Jeff Renaud said when he first read the report he was hesitant.
"When I saw that it was 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. it made me happy because it allows you to advance your sport, to train your people, to really build something in what I consider, or what people have told me really aren't the peak hours anyway, the peak hours, 10 a.m., if you were looking to take over half those courts it might have been a problem," Renaud said.
Renaud commended LPA on their professional approach to the town.
"This is the way you do it, not complaining on social media about council or about administration, but being positive, being part of a change, asking for something that's reasonable and making it happen," Renaud said.
Deputy Mayor Michael Akpata said it was good for the town to brand itself as being supportive of up and coming sports.
"I agree that it's good to treat everybody equally, to expand the sport that we're doing and make sure that the newest and most upcoming sport has a place in our community, and to expand it such that we can move forward and see LaSalle pickleball become as large as LaSalle minor hockey." Akpata said.
LPA will be charged a capital reinvestment fee of $5.90 per hour for the duration of the season.
Based on the proposed time period, the total seasonal fee will amount to $1,280.06, aligning with market-value fees applied in similar recreational agreements across other municipalities.
Council will reassess the pilot in the fall.