Mayor resigns over council vote on pickleball courts

In Prince Edward Island, Canada, a long-time local mayor, Rowan Caseley, announced his resignation due to contentious council decisions regarding the development of new pickleball courts. Caseley, who served as the mayor of Kensington for about ten years and as a councillor for five years prior, expressed his frustrations following a vote held on a proposal for the construction of six new pickleball courts in the town. He believed these courts were an unnecessary expenditure that the community could not afford, despite the vocal support from local residents passionate about the sport. During the vote, members of the pickleball community attended the meeting, indicating the division in public opinion regarding the project. The proposal was initially submitted to the 2023 Canada Games Legacy Fund, which only agreed to cover 55% of the overall cost of approximately $500,000. Caseley and senior staff recommended scrapping the project, seeing potential financial strain on the town as a result of the council’s decision to proceed with a modified version that would still incur costs of around $20,000. This led Caseley to feel that he could not support the council’s decision, equating it to a vote of non-confidence. Caseley felt torn, as he still had many goals to pursue as mayor and believed in representing the best interests of the residents of Kensington. He argued that the time and resources allocated to the pickleball project would divert from more pressing community needs, such as addressing the requirements of a growing population and expanding local infrastructure. In his resignation comments, Caseley emphasized that the project was a 'want' rather than a 'need', suggesting that the town would benefit more from focusing on fundamental services and facilities that would provide greater value to the community. Following his resignation, Caseley indicated he was unsure of his future plans but mentioned he intended to spend more time reading books rather than engaging with pickleball, reinforcing his disconnection from the sport despite its growing presence in the community. The situation highlighted the ongoing debate over the allocation of municipal resources and the conflicting priorities present in small-town governance, culminating in Caseley's departure from office after serving his community for more than a decade.