The City of Victoria is moving ahead with a new online booking system for tennis and pickleball courts, set to launch April 8. The system will allow players to reserve courts up to three weeks in advance, check availability, and find drop-in opportunities through a City of Victoria recreation account.
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Under the new booking system, adults will pay $10 per hour and youth $5 per hour to reserve a court. Courts will operate from 7 a.m. to dusk. Not all courts will be bookable. Beacon Hill Park will remain drop-in only.
The announcement, shared on the Vancouver Island Pickleball – Official Group Page following coverage by CHEK News, quickly sparked strong online reaction from local players.
Much of the discussion centred around cost clarity.
“$10 per hour is pricey!!” wrote Trish Fougner.
Others sought clarification on whether the fee was per person or per court.
“Unless I’m reading this wrong it looks like $10 per adult,” Fougner added later.
Still, some commenters remained skeptical.
“If I play through taxes to the City of Victoria. Another [bad word] tax grab,” wrote Gino Cincorelli.
Janet Keith-Murray: “So if 4 play it is 40$ per hour if the 10$ per person is true. Hmmm.”
“10 bucks an hour for Topaz is a steal. $5 bucks for 2 hrs of pickle on new courts,” wrote Neil Parker.
Some residents argued public courts should remain free.
“Public courts should just stay as free drop in only, just like it’s been for years. It’s what makes public courts so great. And a city charging people to be active? Come on now,” commented Lon Pedro.
The City has pointed to its Regional Pickleball Strategy, developed with Esquimalt, Saanich and Oak Bay as a response to rapid growth in the sport. Officials say the system aims to better manage court demand, scheduling, and shared space concerns as participation continues to rise.
The online booking system launches April 8.