Kelowna ends indoor tennis agreement, seeks new partner for five-court facility
Representatives of the City of Kelowna, Tennis Clubs of Canada and tennis organizations at the original project announcement in June 2025. The city terminated its indoor-facility agreement with Tennis Clubs of Canada in October 2026.
Photo credit: City of Kelowna
KELOWNA — The City of Kelowna has terminated its agreement with Tennis Clubs of Canada for a planned indoor tennis facility at Mission Recreation Park, saying the organization did not meet its obligations for capital investment and construction.
The city announced the decision Oct. 7 and said it would seek another partner to deliver the five-court facility. A competitive request for proposals is expected to begin in the coming weeks, with the city targeting completion of the outdoor courts in 2027. Construction of the seasonal dome will depend on the outcome of the partner-selection process.
The original partnership, announced in June 2025, called for five competition-standard courts in the southeast corner of Mission Recreation Park. A removable dome was intended to cover the courts during the colder months, allowing tennis programming to continue year-round.
Under the agreement, Tennis Clubs of Canada was responsible for capital investment and construction. The city's announcement said the organization ultimately failed to meet those obligations but did not identify the specific contractual requirements involved or disclose any financial consequences of ending the agreement.
The termination concerns the agreement to develop the indoor facility. Tennis Clubs of Canada has also provided tennis instruction in Kelowna, and its website continues to advertise local programming for 2026. No public statement from the organization responding to the city's termination announcement was located.
“Our focus is on moving this project forward responsibly as the need for more year-round tennis opportunities in Kelowna has not changed,” said Doug Nicholas, the city's sport and event services manager, in the October 7 announcement. “The work completed so far gives us a strong foundation to build on as we move into the next phase.”
When the partnership was announced in June 2025, the project was valued at approximately $2.9 million. The original financial arrangements included an estimated $650,000 municipal contribution from reserves and $200,000 through the Rogers Year-Round Community Tennis Courts Program, a partnership between Rogers and Tennis Canada.
The city confirmed that its relationship with Tennis Canada continues and that the program grant remains in place following the termination of the Tennis Clubs of Canada agreement.
The municipality has not announced a revised project budget, selected a replacement partner or confirmed a completion date for the indoor facility. The October 7 announcement said the city was seeking a partner with the experience and investment capacity to deliver the project. As of October 15, no subsequent official announcement confirming a replacement agreement had been located.
The original development plan envisioned a seasonal dome operating from October through April, with the uncovered courts available for free public use during summer.
City staff are reviewing work completed at the site and addressing outstanding obligations associated with the previous arrangement. The city has not disclosed how much has been spent to date or whether the termination will result in additional costs or contractual liabilities.
Further information about the selection of a new partner, construction timing and future tennis programming is expected as the city advances the project.
Nine new outdoor pickleball courts opened at Glenmore Recreation Park on Oct. 8, expanding public recreation facilities in north Kelowna as construction continues on other parts of the park.