Beach volleyball players aim to spike some changes to Pumphouse Park

Planned changes to Pumphouse Park have beach volleyball enthusiasts concerned about losing their place to play. 

The City of Calgary opened consultations on how people use the Sunalta park about two years ago, gathering dozens of online and in-person surveys. 

The results were published in a report by the city, which notes "mixed feelings" and a "slight preference for removing" the park's beach volleyball courts. 

In the finalized design plans, the space for the courts would instead be used for fire pits. 

Mark MacGillivray, who organizes Calgary Sportsing Meetup events, says the decision was based on inadequate engagement. 

"In August and September 2021, they did a public consultation, but unfortunately, it was during COVID," said MacGillivray, who has been playing beach volleyball at Pumphouse Park since 2017.

He noted about a dozen other groups also use the space. 

"They did a second consultation in March of 2022, when it was too cold to play, and the city doesn't actually put up nets until May." 

MacGillivray says no one in his beach volleyball group had heard of the engagement process before finding out their courts would be removed. 

Other options nearby, but players see problems

Coun. Courtney Walcott says the city didn't hear much concern about the beach volleyball courts during their consultations. He points to similar amenities at nearby Millennium Park, in the west end of downtown. 

"It's not even a conversation of going very far, like, it's on the same river pathway," said Walcott, who represents Ward 8. 

"I think it might even just be a worthwhile opportunity to let people know the amenities that are within a kilometre of the other ones so that it's not actually lost to the communities, it's just in a different spot." 

MacGillivray is aware those courts are an option but says they "are so busy it's extremely difficult to actually get any playtime there." 

He contends a city the size of Calgary should be looking to add more amenities for popular sports — not take them away. 

MacGillivray's group is launching a petition to ask the city to reconsider. 

"It's not a question of beach volleyball versus something else. It's to include them to make the area usable by as many people as possible," he said.

Construction at Pumphouse Park is expected to start this fall.