THE ball is rolling to build pickleball courts in Turkey Point.

County council last week agreed to consider a “community led initiative” to install courts in a county-owned park at the entrance to Turkey Point.

The volunteer Turkey Point Pickleball Committee has lined up $85,000 in fundraising commitments, Charlotteville Coun. Chris Van Paassen said last Tuesday.

Council has budgeted $120,000 to build pickleball courts in Turkey Point in 2025.

Gold standard courts, similar to those recently installed in Tillsonburg, would cost $200,000.

The Turkey Point committee will apply for a community led initiative, a formal process in which Norfolk County works with a community group willing to provide a significant share of a project’s cost.

Ideally, groups would pay 100 per cent.

Those that pledge at least 50 per cent will receive “special consideration.”

“People are putting their money where their mouth is,” Coun. Van Paassen said.

In November, three dozen pickleball fans armed with signs called on councillors to build pickleball courts next year in the park at the bottom of the hill on Turkey Point Road.

They offered to raise $80,000 of the $200,000 cost for gold standard courts.

A smaller group of residents opposed pickleball courts taking over much of Turkey Point’s only county park.

They also feared noise would bother nearby neighbours.

The community led initiative process will review concerns, investigate options, determine costs and get the ball rolling toward a report and decision by council next year.

Options might include Coun. Van Paassen’s suggestion last month to renovate a dilapidated tennis court in Vittoria into pickleball courts.

Norfolk’s 2025 capital plan budgets $280,000 to redo Vittoria’s tennis court.

The court is “borderline unsafe,” Coun. Van Paassen said last Tuesday.

Langton Coun. Linda Vandendriessche opposed moving forward with a community led initiative for Turkey Point pickleball courts.

The community is too divided, she said.

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Originally published December 24, 2024