The new multi-use courts outside Owen Sound District Secondary School (OSDSS) are going to be opening up for public use.
Owen Sound’s community services committee endorsed a staff recommendation at its meeting April 16 concerning a five-year agreement with the Bluewater District School Board to allow public-use of the tennis, pickleball and basketball courts at OSDSS during certain hours.
The courts are fenced-in and have been under lock-and-key to restrict public access since they were redeveloped last summer. The project involved the four tennis courts being fully resurfaced, pickleball lines added and the installation of basketball nets to transform it into a multi-use recreation space.
Owen Sound’s Manager of Parks and Open Space Eckhard Pastrik told committee members the agreement with the school board would allow daily public use from the first Monday in May until the end of Thanksgiving. On school days, the courts would be accessible between 4 p.m. and dusk, and from dawn to dusk on all other days.
The tennis court gates would be locked overnight.
Pastrik says the city is taking on some responsibility including bi-annual line painting, general maintenance such as trash pick-up and contracting security services to open and close the courts daily.
The annual cost to the city is estimated at around $11,500.
“I think this is a great partnership. We talk about working in partnership with other organizations and other groups within our community, and I think for $11,500 … is a lot less than the capital costs and operating costs it would be if we ran this as a city-asset,” says community services committee vice-chair, Coun. Travis Dodd. “The fact we’ve got a brand new facility on the west side of town, that’s a multi-use space, I think is fantastic. For that whole neighbourhood there, it’s great for kids and other members of the public to utilize that space.”
City council still needs to formally approve the committee recommendation. Bluewater District School Board spokesperson Jamie Pettit confirms everything’s in place on the board’s end to allow access beginning next month, as per the agreement.
