Pickeball fever spreads north

Jeff Green | Apr 28, 2021

Communities in South Frontenac know all about pickleball fever. People that take up the sport seem to be adept at organising and building facilities, and/or encouraging townships to get on board.

Sandy Robertson of Sharbot Lake started asking people around the village a few months ago, via email or from shouting distance, due to social distancing measures, if they were interested in playing pickleball. In no time the SLPA (Sharbot Lake Pickleball Association) was formed.

But, as people in South Frontenac know very well, in order to play pickleball, you need pickleball courts. The SLPA would like to build courts in the vicinity of Granite Ridge Education Centre within the next few years, but in order to be a real pickleball association, they need to be out playing the sport as soon as possible (once outdoor sports are permitted again).

“After examining the existing tennis court beside the site of the old public school on Garrett Street it was decided that yes this site could in fact be used for the temporary pickleball home,” said Sandy Robertson.

“I say temporary as the township has other plans for that whole area in the near future, however near future could mean 2-5 years so we decided to clean up the area and explore the cost, and possibility, of using it now for pickleball, tennis and possibly badminton and a bit of basketball, as there are already hoops in place.”

The area needed a lot of cleanup.

Rhonda and Bob Young have spent a great deal of time clearing and cutting all the vegetation around the court. Sandy Robertson, and her husband Brian, have hauled away 6 truck and trailer loads of debris from the site. Frank Girard has also put time in, with a chainsaw, cutting the heavier brush. And, within a couple of weeks, the site had been cleared and is ready to be worked on.

The next step was to get pricing to seal and patch the surface and paint lines for tennis and pickleball, as well as for equipment for those sports, and basketball.

Frank Girard has taken on the fundraising job, and local businesses and individuals are being approached. About $5,000 will be needed, and the plan is to raise the money and get the work done in time for use this summer, perhaps even by early June.

“We have an aggressive schedule, but there is a lot of enthusiasm behind this. Just look at the difference that has already been achieved,” said Robertson.

About $2,000 has been raised, to date, including $1010 from 1010 Lawn and Garden Centre, which comes with a challenge to all other businesses to beat that amount.

For information about the project, contact Sandy Robertson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Cheques can be submitted to the Township of Central Frontenac with Oso Rec Committee re: Pickleball, in the memo line, so the money will be directed to the project. There is a slot to the right of the door at the township office