Sharbot Lake Pickleball 'court of dreams' hosts successful tourney

Jeff Green | Sep 29, 2021

The Sharbot Lake Pickleball Association started out as an idea less than a year ago. Sandy Robertson took a look at the derelict tennis court at the former Sharbot Lake Public School site, which was heaving with cracks, and had Manitoba Maple vines covering most of its fence. She knew that Pickleball was popular, although she had never played the game, and thought maybe she could leverage that popularity into a plan to make the tennis court a community asset once again.

She is connected with physically active community members through the fitness classes she is involved in and through the swimming, biking and snow-shoeing groups that Rudy and Joan Hollywood organise, so she sent out an email in January to an email list that she had put together.

The response was positive, and some people, including a former principal at the former school, Frank Girard, and Sharbot Lakers Bob and Rhonda Young, stepped forward and began cleaning the court, and clearing the Manitoba Maple, in the spring. After securing support from the district recreation committee, the newly formed SLPA (Sharbot Lake Pickleball Association) raised $7,000, from local individuals and businesses, to put a coat of paving on the court, buy some equipment, and install wind blocking fabric on the fence. 

When Ontario came out of the 3rd wave of COVID in June, and outdoor sports were a go, morning Pickleball in Sharbot Lake started. 

Sometimes 4 or 5 people showed up, sometimes more. As the summer hit, people started coming out in the late afternoon and early evening, after the heat of the day.

When people showed up, they gave their email addresses. A Snapchat group formed, to coordinate scheduling.

“When we set it all up, with equipment in lockers by the fence, it was designed so people could come and go and arrange games on their own. We thought it would eventually require more organisation than that, but it didn't happen this summer. Everyone co-operated. If odd numbers showed up, people took turns sitting out every 45 minutes or so. Pickleball is very accommodating that way,” said Sandy Robertson.

Summer residents started to come out too, joining the permanent residents to form a Pickleball community, and in September, the moderate weather has only brought more people to the court.

So, when plans came together for a tournament, to be held on Saturday (September 25), a full slate of Pickleballers showed up. Teams were put together by the association in order to try and make as even a competition as possible, and timed games were held in the preliminary rounds, followed by games to 11 in the quarter and semi-finals. 

Then it was time for the final, after which the team of Niro Mahan and Cheryl Michell emerged victorious.

The next step for Pickleball in Sharbot Lake takes place this fall. A delegation will be bringing a request supported by a growing community of supporters, to Central Frontenac Council.

The Pickleball Association would like to start fund raising for an upgrade of the playing surface, improvements to the fence and a more permanent solution to the Manitoba Maple problem, but before doing that they need something from the township, who owns the property.

“We are going to be asking Council to make the court a permanent feature of the former school site,” said Robertson.

The township is planning to develop the site for seniors housing and community use, and perhaps commercial use as well, and they are keeping all options on the table about the layout of the development, which might mean having to build a new court somewhere else in Sharbot Lake.

“What is better for active seniors than a Pickleball Court and ready made active community at their doorstep” said Robertson.

A proposal should be in front of council sometime in October.

For further information about Sharbot Lake Pickleball, email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.