Court action halted in case against UPEI over squash courts

UPEI says it will work with Squash P.E.I. to develop new squash courts

The Chi-Wan Young Sports Centre at UPEI has two squash courts that have not been in use since August. UPEI wants to turn that space into a high-performance centre. That resulted in an attempt by one member of Squash P.E.I. to stop the process through the courts. The court action has been discontinued as UPEI and the squash community have agreed to talk about putting the squash courts elsewhere on campus. Dave Stewart — A legal action over two squash courts at the Chi-Wan Young Sports Centre at UPEI has been discontinued as the university and the squash community continue talks about preserving a place to play on campus. Photo by Dave Stewart /The Guardian

A member of Squash P.E.I. has halted his court action against UPEI over the university’s plan to demolish the two squash courts on campus.

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Campbell Webster said he made the decision to drop the case after he received correspondence from UPEI’s lawyer, Murray Murphy. Webster told The Guardian the university committed to “meaningful discussions” with Squash P.E.I. that included ways UPEI might support the organization’s efforts to source squash courts.

“I’m happy that they’ve made that commitment,” Webster told The Guardian. “The future of the sport in Prince Edward Island is in their hands. But the big question is to have them define the word support.”

Campbell Webster, centre, a member of Squash P.E.I., is behind efforts to start an Atlantic university squash league and is currently talking to universities across the region. With him are Jo Dalimonte, left, communications director with Squash P.E.I., and Lyall Huggan, the former president of the UPEI basketball teams’ booster club, both of whom support the plan. — Campbell Webster, centre, has withdrawn his application to the courts to stop UPEI from demolishing its two squash courts at the Chi-Wan Young Sports Centre. UPEI has agreed to work with Squash P.E.I. to develop new squash courts. With him are Jo Dalimonte, left, communications director with Squash P.E.I., and Lyall Huggan, the former president of the UPEI basketball teams’ booster club. Photo by Dave Stewart /The Guardian

Tim Walker, vice-president of administration and finance for UPEI, reiterated that commitment in an email to The Guardian on Oct. 14.

“The university is willing to have discussions directly with Squash P.E.I. about ways the university might support the organization’s efforts to source new squash courts,” Walker told The Guardian. “This mirrored a previous verbal commitment I made to Squash P.E.I. in June 2026 as part of ongoing discussions with Squash P.E.I.”

Walker said he also met with a representative of Squash P.E.I. in February and March.

Tim Walker, vice-president of administration and finance at UPEI, said the plan is to demolish the squash courts at the Chi-Wan Young Sports Centre and repurpose the 3,000-square feet of space into a high performance training centre. Those intentions may be up in the air now that the squash community has begun legal action. That space is currently used by two squash courts. — Tim Walker, vice-president of administration and finance at UPEI, said the plan is to demolish the squash courts at the Chi-Wan Young Sports Centre and repurpose the 3,000-square feet of space into a high performance training centre. A member of Squash P.E.I. initially filed an application with the court to stop those plans but has since withdrawn that application after the university agreed to work with Squash P.E.I. to develop new courts. Photo by Dave Stewart /The Guardian

UPEI has been working on plans to turn the space where two squash courts and adjacent exercise room currently reside, and turn that 3,146 square feet of space into a high-performance centre.

Work on the high-performance centre was scheduled to start in early August but, as of Oct. 15, that work hadn’t started although the squash courts were closed.

Webster filed the application with the court on Aug. 17 and the first hearing was scheduled for Oct. 8. Webster stopped the action on Oct. 6.

Webster said if UPEI was to get rid of its two courts, it would leave just two at The Spa in Charlottetown. This would mean that Charlottetown would be unable to host the Atlantic university squash championships in 2027, and could deter growth for the UPEI squash club and junior programs.

The squash courts at UPEI were all papered over on Oct. 15. Campbell Webster, a member of Squash P.E.I., has ended his court action against the university after the two sides reached an agreement to pursue squash courts elsewhere on campus. Dave Stewart The Guardian

Campbell added that squash is set to debut at the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles, which should lead to an increase in interest in the sport.

“It would be a shame if UPEI had taken steps to destroy it or not provide courts to keep the university in the game,” Webster said.

Webster said he and other members of Squash P.E.I. stand ready to help UPEI out with fundraising if that is the road the university choses in developing new courts.

A sign on the doors of the squash courts on Oct. 15 at UPEI indicates that the facilities are presently closed. Squash P.E.I. and the university have entered talks on relocating the courts elsewhere on campus. Dave Stewart — A sign on the doors of the squash courts on Oct. 15 at UPEI indicates that the facilities are presently closed. Squash P.E.I. and the university have entered talks on relocating the courts elsewhere on campus. Photo by Dave Stewart /The Guardian

Following is additional information about UPEI’s plans for a high-performance centre.

The centre would support 250 varsity athletes and 200 club athletes.
Goals for the centre include attracting new student-athletes, reducing injury recovery times and allowing for collaboration with UPEI’s kinesiology department.
The centre would develop a relationship with the Canadian Sport Institute to support development and high performance of P.E.I. and UPEI athletes and coaches.

Dave Stewart is a reporter for The Guardian in Prince Edward Island. He can be reached at dstewart@postmedia.com and followed on X at @DveStewart.