Town working on outdoor fitness, pickleball courts, beach volleyball

Bonnyville residents can expect to see some new outdoor recreation spaces built this spring.

The Town has committed to converting the beach volleyball courts near Bonnyville Centralized High School to pickleball courts, moving beach volleyball closer to Jessie Lake Park, while also building an outdoor fitness centre.

“We have to do our part in order to attract people to our community, but also give our local residents things to do all year round,” said Mayor Elisa Brosseau on The Morning After. 

“We have so much space that we can capitalize on that we really had to focus the last few years on how we can build on what we already have here. I think administration has done a good job at taking those priorities and putting some action to some of the things that we’d like for the community.” 

The pickleball courts and outdoor fitness facility both went out to tender recently and were awarded. Both projects came under the Town’s budget with pickleball courts at a $137,500 touch and fitness station at $98,900.

The fitness area will be along Lakeshore Drive near 46th Street in the area of the Lions Park signage.

The pickleball courts are part of an agreement with Northern Lights Public Schools. Before the BCHS modernization, the town was looking at refurbishing the tennis courts. Since then, the idea of pickleball has garnered more interest, so it could compliment the tennis courts.

“It is the school’s land. And it would be a similar arrangement to what we have with the tennis courts where the town constructed it and we maintain it,” said CAO Bill Rogers. “But the school has the available land and they get to use it as well, of course. 

“We put as part of that provision that we’d be willing to move the beach volleyball court to Jessie Lake Park. The school board talked about it granted permission.” 

By Canada Day, the town hopes to have the beach volleyball courts installed.

These improvements are part of a broader goal of enhancing the amenities around Jessie Lake trail, which also includes trail lighting, set to start this year towards the dog park, and then be completed next year along the lionshare of the walking path.