Greater Sudbury seeks public input on upgrading outdoor courts

An undated photo of the recently revitalized basketball court in Greater Sudbury, Ont. (Supplied/City of Greater Sudbury)

The City of Greater Sudbury is inviting residents to share feedback and thoughts on the next phase of a multi-year project to revitalize outdoor tennis and basketball courts across the community.

The $4.38-million initiative, funded through the federal Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program, aims to upgrade 14 tennis and 14 basketball facilities by 2027. Work includes resurfacing courts, improving accessibility, and converting underused tennis pads into spaces for pickleball or skateboarding – approximately 25 to 30 per cent of courts are slated for conversion.

Five locations are scheduled for upgrades in the upcoming phase:

• McLean Playground basketball court
• Queen’s Athletic Sports Complex tennis court
• Minnow Lake Place basketball court on Bancroft drive
• Capreol Lion’s Den Park multi-courts on Stull Street
• Wahnapitae Community Centre multi-courts on Glenbower Crescent

Three additional sites – Onaping Tot Lot, Lion’s Park in Hanmer and Copper Cliff multi-courts – are also set to be addressed in 2025, with the Copper Cliff site’s asphalt work already completed last year.

Public consultation

To allow all citizens to provide feedback and concerns, the city has set up a variety of options.

Residents can provide input at several scheduled information sessions at:

• Wahnapitae Community Centre on Glenbower Crescent on April 14 at 6 p.m.
• Onaping Community Centre on Hillside Avenue in Dowling on May 5 at 4 p.m.
• Howard Armstrong Recreation Centre on Elmview Drive in on May 6 at 4 p.m.
• Capreol Millennium Resource Centre on Meehan Street on May 6 at 4 p.m.
• McLean Park Fieldhouse on McLean Avenue on May 7 at 4 p.m.

Feedback can also be submitted by calling 311 or completing an online survey at OverToYou.GreaterSudbury.ca before May 9.

Communities engaged

The city said officials have also engaged stakeholders, including local pickleball and tennis associations, skateboarders enthusiasts, a variety of advisory panels along with community action networks and neighbourhood associations.

Two courts, Kin Park in Blezard Valley and VLA Playground in Lively, were completed in 2024 and the city previously renewed courts at the Delki Dozzi Sports Complex, Elmview Playground, Lorne Brady Park, Sixth Avenue Playground, Twin Forks Playground, the Dowling Leisure Centre, Elm West Playground, Ryan Heights Playground and Downe Playground.

A shaded picnic table and several outdoor courts - Elmview Playground An undated photo of a shaded picnic table and several outdoor courts at Elmview Playground in the Greater Sudbury community of Hanmer. (Supplied/City of Greater Sudbury)

For more information on the project and a full list of sites to potentially be revitalized, visit the city’s ‘Over To You’ webpage.