{"id":167976,"date":"2023-07-21T14:26:02","date_gmt":"2023-07-21T18:26:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/canada-info.ca\/?p=167976"},"modified":"2023-07-24T14:31:22","modified_gmt":"2023-07-24T18:31:22","slug":"chilliwack-resident-plans-hunger-strike-to-decommission-pickleball-court-near-home","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/canada-info.ca\/en\/chilliwack-resident-plans-hunger-strike-to-decommission-pickleball-court-near-home\/","title":{"rendered":"Chilliwack resident plans hunger strike to decommission pickleball court near home"},"content":{"rendered":"

A Chilliwack resident is planning a hunger strike to end the excessive noise that comes from the pickleball court in Kinsmen Park, located less than 20 feet away from their home.<\/span><\/p>\n

Rajnish Dhawan will be holding a hunger strike at the court beginning on July 23.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI'm just doing a peaceful protest. I'm not stopping anybody from playing, I'm gonna sit in the court, I'm going to put banners up there that this is a hunger strike,\u201d he explains. \u201cThe plan is that I will continue a 12 hour hunger strike every day for a week. If they don't (take action), I'll go on the 36 hour one,\u201d Dhawan says. \u201cIf they (the pickle ball courts) still don't go (away), I'll go on an indefinite one. I just want them to give me an answer.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

According to Dhawan, the pickleball court was placed in a former green space in Kinsmen Park with little to no consultation with the public. A representative of the City of Chilliwack says that there was consultation when the park was first pitched in 2018. Dhawan confirms this, but adds that that consultation was for a general sports park primarily for basketball, hockey, and soccer, not for pickleball, which has a higher sound decibel than the other sports.<\/span><\/p>\n

In 2018, a pickleball court was consulted and researched at <\/span>a location in Yarrow<\/span><\/a>, that was later turned away due to members of the public and council voicing their concern of noise and hours of operation. Later, the pickleball courts were attached to the Kinsmen Park project.<\/span><\/p>\n

In August 2022, Dhawan sent a complaint to the City of Chilliwack about the noise that, according to Dhawan, has had little response and action. Since his complaint, bylaws have been created requiring that players must use softer balls after 4 p.m., but Dhawan claims that rule is not enforced, and that members of the Chilliwack Pickleball Club have made unsolicited visits to his home, offering to soundproof a room in his home. After refusing the offer, Dhawan says he and his wife have faced community backlash and discrimination from the pickleballers.<\/span><\/p>\n

The City of Chilliwack confirmed via email that in response to the complaints surrounding the court, staff have made changes which include:<\/span><\/p>\n