Milton is launching the ‘Move More, Milton’ program tomorrow (June 1st) with a “Take it to the Trails” promotion.  You may find more details on http://www.movemoremilton.ca.  You may also want to print out the June activities calendar for a schedule of activities for the entire month. 

Unfortunately there’s no trail walks in Harrison or Scott neighbourhoods, so I will join people at one of the other Hawthorne village neighbourhoods. 

Hello,
I am wondering what the rationale is for the Town having a "Tennis Strategy"?  Why not have a have a generic strategy that can be applied to a host of activities? 

Overall, I am disappointed to see millions spent on outdoor tennis courts instead of indoor facilities that can be used year-round.  As far as I can tell, there is no indoor soccer turf planned or a tennis bubble or squash courts. 

Finally, Milton Sports Club’s expansion document has this text: "Squash courts are not recommended, as established through Community Services Master Plan".  What does that mean?  Community Services Master Plan’s public feedback document states: "The Town will be examining the feasibility of a bubble as part of a Tennis Strategy. This may also involve associated squash courts if deemed appropriate".  It would seem to me that since many residents are asking for a squash court, at least investigating it would be appropriate, instead of a vague “not recommended as established” comment. 

Who may I speak with to find out why Milton’s Community Services Masterplan decides that "squash courts are not recommended"?   Thanks.

Zeeshan Hamid
A Disappointed Resident

Honestly, am I wrong to expect a reason I can understand rather than “as established” when the document that “establishes” it says “will be investigated”?  It’s not about squash courts, tennis bubble or indoor soccer turf is okay.  Facilities that can be used throughout the year are better than facilities that can only be used for 4 months.  Facilities that thousands of residents will use are better than facilities that less than 200 people will use. 

Consider this from Milton’s Community Services Masterplan:

• It says: “Involvement in most organized sports (with the most notable exception being soccer) has been declining at the expense of informal and drop-in opportunities which are better able to respond to the time crunch.”
  [Zeeshan’s comment: this favours both soccer and squash]
• Milton has close to two dozen tennis courts.  Milton Sports Centre alone will have 4 ice rinks (I support it because 1) they can be used year-round and 2) can be used for drop-in solo activities)
• Also states: “…a preliminary analysis suggests that there is sufficient demand for an indoor turf facility, particularly given the
  increasing popularity of indoor turf sports and the provision of such facilities in growing municipalities of a similar size.”
• “The Town should refrain from providing any future racquet sport facilities (e.g., squash courts) as these sports are generally not deemed to be core municipal services and are best served by the private sector.”
  [Zeeshan: Why?  Mississauga provides squash court.  And why is tennis part of a “core municipal service”?  Or swimming pool (there are plenty of private pools in gyms)?  Or ice rinks?]
• “The Town should undertake a feasibility study for an indoor turf facility in order to determine the most suitable location and associated costs and operating structure.”
  [Zeeshan: Wouldn’t this be a better us of $3 million?]
• “The Town should develop a tennis strategy in order to determine the required number of facilities (lit and unlit), their location, if an enclosure/bubble is required, etc. Based on the research in this Plan, in order to meet the public demand for tennis courts there will be a need to provide six courts by 2016, with at least three likely required to be available for public use at no charge. New courts would ideally be suited in the Willmott, Scott and/or Harrison Neighbourhoods.”
  [Zeeshan: Why????  Don’t get me wrong, I am not saying not to do tennis courts. I am asking why tennis court or ice rink or swimming pool or BMX / Skateboard park is part of Milton’s core service but racquet sports is not]

I am on the case. 

The town finally updated actions it took on feedback received on the Milton Sports Club expansion plan.  Here is a quote from it :-

Squash courts are not recommended, as established through Community Services Master Plan.

I would have thought in the Canadian climate indoor squash courts (can be used year-round) would be better than outdoor tennis courts.  I would be wrong since the town disagrees by spending millions on outdoor tennis courts as part of its Community Services Master plan and tennis strategy (yes, the town has a tennis strategy).   I suppose I should mention that 2/3rd of the $3 million it’s spending on the Nassgweya Tennis Club is coming from Federal and Provincial governments (although I am sure they would have given money for an indoor soccer turf just the same). 

I would pick up tennis but what good would it do in winter?

(Apparently I wasn’t the only one who wanted it, since someone asked for it in the public workshop as well. I did not attend that).  It shouldn’t be too much to ask for activities that do not require a team and can be done year round. 

This post is about to enter a ‘rant’ mode, so I will stop now.

Miltonions have access to a lot of indoor skating rinks, which is truly great.  Milton Sports Centre itself has two rinks.  My children use them and I am glad we have such a great facility so close to us.

Milton Sports Centre is planning a future phase which will add two more ice rinks and an indoor swimming pool, among other amenities.

Here’s the thing: Milton already has a lot of ice rinks.  Growing population will need more, but what about other sports?  Indoor basketball or volleyball courts?  Squash Courts?  Racquet ball?  Public tennis courts?  This expansion will millions upon millions of dollars, shouldn’t that add a diversity of activities? 

Unfortunately the deadline for sending comments on the expansion is gone (I did manage to get mine in on time), but if you agree that Milton needs more diversity of physical activities then you should write to recreation by clicking here.  I would love to have access to Squash courts, there are none in Milton. Multiple studies have found squash to be among the best workouts.  I hope they build a few squash courts as part of the expansion.

Correction: I am told that Milton certainly doesn’t have enough ice rinks.  I stand corrected.  However, my point remains the same.  Click the link above and write to the planners so they can take your input into account.  Also, I would very much like to see a diversity of options offered to residents in the town.