Petition to Include Four Parallel Courts at Cardel Recreation Facility in the Fall 2026 Renovations

To: The Mayor and Members of Council, City of Ottawa

We, the undersigned residents and community members, respectfully call on the City of Ottawa to maintain four pickleball and badminton courts and realign them in parallel at the Cardel Recreation Complex as part of the planned Fall 2026 renovation project. This restoration would at least maintain recreational opportunities and better serve the growing demand for court space in our community.

Participation in court-based activities—such as badminton, pickleball, and other recreational sports—has increased rapidly across Ottawa. Pickleball is undoubtedly one of the fastest-growing sports, and demand for court time is consistently high.

The Cardel Recreation Complex is the only indoor recreation facility serving Goulbourn Ward, making it critical to meet the needs of a growing population. Reducing capacity from four courts to three courts is unacceptable and would further limit access for residents.

A strong model exists at the Eva James Memorial Community Centre, where well-designed court infrastructure supports high usage and flexibility.

Our Request: - Include four parallel courts - Maintain or expand current capacity - Use the Eva James model - Support multi-sport use (badminton and pickleball) - Engage community stakeholders

By maintaining the current four courts realigned in parallel, the City of Ottawa can make a meaningful investment in community recreation and well-being.

Jill Velenosi, William Rutchinski, Kent Smith, Lori Chiaralli, Alfie Mangan and Richard Chauvin on behalf of Kanata Stittsville Pickleball