An audience member had an outburst and then angrily left North Saanich council chambers on Monday (Jan. 13), during a meeting where staff submitted a cost report on a new pickleball facility.
The verbal outburst came after Mayor Peter Jones directed staff to gather feedback from residents within 600 metres of the proposed location at Blue Heron Park.
"Are you insane?" shouted Frank Gee from the audience. "Where the hell are you coming from? There is no justification for that kind of distance to determine whether the community will support it or not.”
Gee, a local pickleball advocate, is also a member of the ad hoc committee that filed a legal case to challenge the decision of the council to close the Wain Park courts which closed on May 7, 2024.
His words were met with a stern warning from Coun. Kristine Marshall, who reminded him to respect council proceedings.
"When we are in this chamber, we are respectful, we don't have outbursts, we don't swear, we don't yell. I will not sit here and have our staff be subjected to this. If we're going to have any more outbursts, we will leave and go into recess."
Gee walked out and the council did go on a five-minute recess after the verbal exchange.
According to Coun. Sanjiv Shrivastava, some audience members were visibly disturbed by the offensive outburst from the resident.
"Such incidents amount to an unsafe workplace environment for council and staff, but also for residents,” he said. “More importantly, I believe that these disruptions distract from the valuable work that is ongoing in the district."
Shrivastava told Peninsula News Review that the incident is not the first time the council has experienced "disrespectful disruptions by a group of residents associated with the sport in question."
Jones also disclosed that a small portion of the Saanich Peninsula Pickleball Association has been engaging in this kind of harassment and bullying behaviour since the pickleball courts opened on Wain Road in 2017.
"What happened last night shouldn't have happened and we have to be calm about it. I did consider before the meeting that when it became necessary, recess will be called.”
Coun. Jack McClintock, the only councillor who opposed closing down Wain Park pickleball courts back in May 2024, said the behaviour was uncalled for.
"When you talk about protocol, that's not the way to do things," McClintock said. “I think that there is a certain sense of frustration that members of this council are not either moving or connecting with the pickleball community on every next step we take."
In an email to Peninsula News Review, Gee said his “purely emotional reaction to the absurdity of the mayor’s ideas was to stand up and challenge him, even knowing it was against protocol."
“I apologize to the residents of North Saanich, but I do not apologize to the mayor or council – they needed to hear that message.”
Plans to build new pickleball courts in North Saanich are moving ahead after a cost study report was submitted to council during the meeting.
The report includes an initial cost estimate for the six pickleball courts that are being proposed for Blue Heron Park as well as plans for resident public engagement.
A summary of the estimate, including sound mitigation, would result in a total project cost of between $730,000 and $920,000.
According to Ben Martin, district director of infrastructure services, the report only shows “an indicative cost that should guide decision makers to either further pursue or abandon the proposal."
"It can vary widely depending on many attributes that are not yet defined," Martin said.
During the public participation period at the beginning of Monday's meeting, Gee asked that council look at the cost study report and ask themselves why not consider reopening the Wain Park pickleball courts rather than spending $920,000.
Staff are to report back to council on March 10 after gathering feedback from residents who are confirmed to live within 600 meters of the proposed pickleball courts at Blue Heron Park.
