An open letter to the Delta Pickleball Association
Our Grade 6/7 class was given an amazing opportunity to learn how to play pickleball and use the courts closest to the school grounds.
We applied and received an official permit from Delta Parks to use two of the dedicated pickleball courts every Wednesday and Friday from April until June. An amazing group of volunteers helped us learn the basic rules of pickleball and we were excited to put these skills to the test.
On the final afternoon of our pickleball lessons, we were greeted by some unfriendly pickleball members. We were told that they were having their own tournament and that we couldn’t use the courts.
Despite having a permit, we were not offered the courts we were promised. They recognized that we had access to these courts, but we were still denied. Instead, we were sent to the tennis courts. Only two courts were available to share between 26 students. Needless to say, it was a disappointment for our class.
One student was keen to share their feelings about this negative interaction:
“I felt like I didn’t belong there.”
In the future, we hope to see a schedule posted on the courts to be visible to all users. We also hope that we will be met by more kindness the next time we use the pickleball courts.
Division 1, Ladner Elementary
