LAURIE WEIR
A Rideau Lakes resident served an ace of a critique at township council Monday night, alleging taxpayers are footing the bill for an exclusive arrangement with the North Crosby Tennis Club.
Joan Hutchings told council the club pays just $2 per year in lease fees and benefits from an interest-free $8,000 loan, $72,000 in township-funded upgrades, and exemptions from property taxes — all while restricting public access.
“The use of the facilities is only costing the club approximately $20,000 over 10 years,” Hutchings said, “while taxpayers are covering the rest.”
She noted that club members — many of whom are seasonal residents — enjoy “exclusive use” of the courts, bathrooms and parking. Non-members are charged $20 per singles game, despite the facility being publicly funded.
Hutchings compared the arrangement to the Rideau Lakes Pickleball Club in Newboro, which offers designated playing hours but allows free public use outside those times. She asked that the tennis club adopt a similar model, with a posted schedule and general taxpayer access.
Coun. Marcia Maxwell said that in 2014, when the tennis club first launched, “it was hard to get court time. People were standing around waiting, others were getting impatient.” A group of volunteers stepped up to fix the courts and create a schedule, she said.
“There is lots of free time at a nominal fee,” Maxwell added. “They have a reciprocal agreement with the club in Perth, which is another very popular tennis court — but at a higher fee. At the time, it was in line with what was in the area.”
She noted the memorandum of understanding with the tennis club remains in effect for a couple more years. “I don’t think we can step in and break an agreement that was in place.”
Coun. Jeff Banks said it’s better to have a formal agreement than let the courts fall into disrepair. He added the club invested its own funds to support the sport.
Coun. Rob Pollard agreed, saying the facility was in poor shape and the township couldn’t afford the upgrades. “This group came forward and proposed to take over — not 100 per cent — and look after it,” he said. “That was one of our priorities — that everybody could play on it.”
Ken Rose, a resident in the audience, said he’s been using the courts for 33 years.
“There was a lot of conflict when the courts weren’t run by this group,” he said, noting council had previously managed the facility without much oversight. “We formed a group and saved money. At that time, we only paid our own court fees.”
Rose acknowledged that while the township has financially supported the club — including recent lighting — the club’s own fees have also helped maintain the courts.
Mayor Arie Hoogenboom, who was on council when the deal was made, said it was important at the time to have club members contribute, or the courts would have deteriorated.
He commended the group for its fundraising over the past 11 years, including a successful $100,000 grant from the Ontario Trillium Foundation in 2022. That, combined with $40,000 in club funds and a $5,000 township grant, helped complete capital upgrades.
Council received Hutchings’ presentation as information.
