By William Crooks

Local Journalism Initiative

A grassroots petition is gaining traction in North Hatley as a group of residents voice opposition to the town’s decision to dismantle its municipal tennis courts to make way for a new refrigerated ice rink.

Maureen Hallam, one of the petition’s organizers, said in an interview on Aug. 7 that the effort began after learning the town plans to proceed with construction this fall, following a unanimous council resolution. “They’re going ahead with their plan to tear down our iconic, historic tennis courts to build their refrigerated rink there,” she said.

Hallam is working with others including Diane Eisliger and Lillian Rogerson, to gather signatures ahead of the next council meeting on Aug. 28. “We’re serious about this,” she said. “We’re just not going to post a note and hope people sign—we’re going door to door.”

At issue is the town’s decision to site the Pollock Family Ice Rink on the current tennis court grounds near the public beach, despite earlier indications it would be built in River Park. In a recent statement, the municipality explained that poor soil conditions at the original location rendered it unsuitable for the refrigerated structure, which requires high stability due to the presence of freon-cooled infrastructure.

Engineers estimate the cost of stabilizing the River Park site at more than $800,000, with further potential overruns if the bedrock lay deeper than anticipated. Alternative sites such as the Capelton Road dome and the town parking lot were also ruled out due to even poorer soil conditions, legal constraints, or environmental challenges.

The town maintains that the current location is the only viable option. According to its statement, new clay tennis courts will be built in River Park as part of the overall project. The Pollock family, who are donating the rink, have agreed to pay for the construction of the replacement courts.

“The family is committed to providing an even more beautiful place for tennis,” the town’s statement reads. The new rink is expected to provide five months of skating annually and serve as a covered recreation facility for the rest of the year. Preliminary work is scheduled to begin this fall, with the tennis courts ready by spring 2026 and the rink completed by that fall.

Hallam and others remain unconvinced, particularly regarding the financial justification. “At the meeting, the mayor said it would cost $800,000,” she said. “Well, how much is it going to cost to tear down the existing courts, excavate over there—because I don’t know if you know where our courts are, but they’re on two levels—and then build new ones? I’ve researched building new courts and it’s about $100,000 per court, including fencing.”

She said the goal is to gather as many names as possible—ideally over 500—before the Aug. 28 meeting. “There’s a tax base of 635 or 675 residents in North Hatley,” Hallam said, noting that seasonal residents who pay taxes in the village should also be allowed to sign.

An email from The Record was sent to the town asking whether the petition could affect council’s plans or what number of signatures would be considered significant. No response was received before press time.

Hallam said she hopes the petition will prompt the town to reconsider. If not, the group is exploring the possibility of pushing for a referendum. “None of us know the steps that need to be taken to go to a referendum, so we’re just starting with the petition right now.”

As the effort gains momentum, Hallam reflected on the history of the tennis courts. She said the land originally belonged to the golf club, and that the North Hatley Recreation Society helped purchase it in partnership with the town. “The town didn’t have enough money, so the Recreation Society raised half, I think it was $40,000,” she said. “The land is in the town’s name, but people have a deep connection to these courts.”

Whether that connection will be enough to reverse the town’s decision remains to be seen. But for Hallam and her fellow organizers, the effort is already under way. “Just call us Norma Rae,” she joked—a reference to the 1979 film in which a factory worker leads a successful campaign to unionize her workplace. “The three Norma Raes.”