Niagara-on-the-Lake Keeps Virgil Pickleball Courts Closed, Seeks New Outdoor Site

Niagara-on-the-Lake council voted to keep the pickleball courts at Virgil Sports Park closed for the remainder of the 2026 season, approving a staff motion at its Feb. 24, 2026 meeting that also directs town staff to identify an appropriate alternative outdoor location. The motion was put before council during the February session and carried the effect of an immediate seasonal closure for the Virgil courts.

The Feb. 24 decision specifically covers the Virgil Sports Park facility and leaves the town without those outdoor courts available through the balance of 2026. Council recorded the action as a staff motion, signaling the town intends to handle the logistics of closure and site search through municipal staff rather than with an immediate council-led plan.

Under the approved motion, town staff have been tasked to identify an appropriate alternative outdoor location for pickleball play. That directive frames staff work as a site search: locating an outdoor spot that can accommodate players who would otherwise use the Virgil Sports Park courts. The motion does not specify a timeline for the site identification in council records from the Feb. 24 meeting.

For players, clubs and organized programs that used Virgil Sports Park, the council action establishes clear expectations: the Virgil courts will remain closed for the 2026 season, and any return to outdoor play in Niagara-on-the-Lake will depend on the town staff’s identification of a new outdoor site and any subsequent council approvals. The Feb. 24 vote places the responsibility on town staff to find that site and present options to council for next steps.