VICTORIA PARK TENNIS CLUB

This collection of letters represents a growing chorus of voices from residents, organizations, and stakeholders who are urgently calling for action from the City.  These correspondences are not casual suggestions—they are documented appeals that address pressing issues requiring immediate and decisive intervention.  The consistent lack of response or movement from the City raises serious concerns about transparency, responsiveness, and the fulfillment of civic obligations.  These letters, submitted in good faith and rooted in a collective desire for meaningful change, cannot continue to be sidelined.  The time for acknowledgment and action is now.

Please Note: Personal addresses and other identifying details of area residents and concerned citizens have been removed from the following correspondence. These redactions have been made to safeguard individual privacy while preserving the integrity and intent of each submitted letter. 

July 4, 2025

From: Jeff Collins
Sent: Friday, July 4, 2025 6:55 AM
To: Elisabeth Slusarczyk
Cc: Nicole Cichello, Olu Ojikutu, Sheri Roberts, Jan Liggett, Hardy Bromberg,  Danielle Manton, Lesley Head, Michael Hausser,  Cameron Lattanville, E_Bylaw, Victoria Park Tennis Club, HG, MK, MR
Subject: Re: Follow up to Safety and Bylaw concerns at Victoria Park meeting

Elisabeth,

I was disappointed to find that your response omitted the original message entirely and did not acknowledge or address any of the specific questions I outlined.  Removing the original content and sidestepping the issues appears deceptive and is not productive in moving this discussion forward.

I’ve included the original message below and request that you please provide a complete response to all questions relating to by-law. 

To add, your list of key points and summary below (minus the 1st point) were not the topic of the June 11 meeting but appears to be a repeat of an email circulated prior to the meeting.  Your points also raise several other questions which I have outlined within your message below. 

In the attached PDF, I have also noted some additional details related to the June 11 meeting discussion:

• Photo 1 Ladders brought to the field used to cross neighbouring residents’ fences.  These are placed at the fence in preparation before the game.
• Photo 2 6:30am Mon morning game along with the noise.  The park is normally filled with dogwalkers 7-9am.
• Photo 3&4 Diagram with dimensions of a proper sized cricket field.  As we agreed at the meeting, Victoria Park is far too small for a cricket field.  Both sides of the cricket field extend into neighbouring backyards by 80’ and the tennis courts by 30’.  Distance covered by cricket balls reaching court 2 is 300’.
• Over 180 cricket balls have been collected from the tennis courts since tracking began.  I have yet to see 1 stopped by the new netting.  Just this past weekend, 3 hardballs cleared the clubhouse and landed on court 1 among a family using that court.  Again, last evening, and most evenings this week, cricket play on both the pitch and the baseball diamond (often with hardballs).
• See further comments/questions below.

I look forward to receiving a more appropriate response that directly addresses all outstanding questions related to safety and by-law concerns in Victoria Park.

Jeff Collins

June 27, 2025

From: Jeff Collins
Sent: Friday, June 27, 2025 6:54 AM
To: Elisabeth Slusarczyk, Cameron Lattanville, E_Bylaw
Cc: Nicole Cichello, Olu Ojikutu, Sheri Roberts, Jan Liggett, Hardy Bromberg, Victoria Park Tennis Club, HG, MK, MR
Subject: Safety & By-law Concerns in Victoria Park 

Cambridge By-law,

On Wednesday evening, all five tennis courts in Victoria Park were filled with organized, social round-robin play, with spectators and players waiting to rotate in.  This weekly event, along with other regular programming at VPTC, is a consistent and well-attended occurrence.

At the same time, cricket play involving a hardball was taking place both on the cricket pitch and on the minor baseball diamond.  Along with the other related issues that accompany cricket play, balls were landing on the courts among the tennis players.  The loud crack of bats from two directions every 30 seconds is extremely unnerving, especially with the fear that one of those balls could cause injury.

For more than five years now, the City has been made aware of the numerous issues and safety concerns related to cricket play in Victoria Park (as referenced in the attached letter).  These concerns have been communicated by the VPTC Board, VPTC membership, area residents, and Cambridge taxpayers.  I have also recently raised multiple concerns and requests—via email and at the June 11th meeting at City Hall—which have gone unanswered.

I have additional questions:

1. What are the details of the posted permit for the use of a hardball during cricket play in Victoria Park?
2. When will By-law 162-10 be formally updated to include specific details about cricket play in parks?
3. As recently as June 2023, signage stated "Cricket Play by Permit Only" in Victoria Park.  This was removed in May 2024.  Since this permit requirement helped address some current issues, why was it discontinued?
4. What are the permit details, rules, or restrictions for the use of the minor baseball diamond in Victoria Park?
5. Does the City apply the same rules and permitting processes to cricket as they do to baseball?
6. How does the City define a “nuisance” under By-law No. 162-10, Section 3(b): "Create a nuisance or in any way interfere with the use and enjoyment of the park by other persons"?
7. Some nearby residents have recently approached the tennis club with similar concerns regarding park usage.  To whom should we direct these inquiries?
8. Given the extensive list of valid reasons why cricket play is unsuitable for Victoria Park, what is the City’s overriding reason for allowing it to continue despite the associated risks?
9. Will the City suspend cricket play in Victoria Park immediately—before a serious injury or fatality occurs? If not, why?

 Sincerely,

Jeff Collins

VPTC President

May 15, 2025

From: Jeff Collins
Sent: Thursday, May 15, 2025 11:26 PM
To: Elisabeth Slusarczyke, E_Bylaw
Cc: Victoria Park Tennis Club, MR
Subject: Safety Concerns in Victoria Park 

Elisabeth,

I am following up on my previous email, as I have not yet received a response.  Additionally, I would like to bring to your attention another escalating issue that requires immediate action to restore safety to Victoria Park and allow for its safe and proper use by area residents.

Currently, when cricket games are taking place in Victoria Park, other park users—including those at the baseball diamond, playground, tennis courts, and surrounding grassy areas—are at risk of serious injury or unable to use the park safely.  Additionally, this poses a danger to the backyards of neighboring homes.

This evening, multiple areas of the park were being used for cricket play.  Please refer to the attached diagram:

#1 A large group of cricket players was playing in an unorganized manner, exhibiting reckless behavior with no apparent effort to control the ball or respect others in the park.

#2 Several players were using the baseball diamond to hit balls across the park, overlapping with a group of 10 young girls playing frisbee and volleyball (#4) and another group of 10–15 people playing football (#5).  A video was taken of this activity, showing a complete disregard by the cricket players for the safety of the 25 young people in their hitting area.

#3 Another group was practicing by hitting hardballs against the cedar shake clubhouse—despite the bylaw notice restricting hardball use to permit-only.

Each of these cricket activities posed a direct risk to the five courts of doubles tennis, where 20 individuals were engaged in play (#6).

 If Highland Public School requires a permit to run an organized track and field event for children in their neighbouring park, shouldn't the same requirement apply to groups of adults traveling from other cities to play in Victoria Park?

If the Cambridge By-law Department is unwilling to address these ongoing safety concerns—despite multiple reports filed —it may be time to involve additional parties.

I appreciate your attention to this matter and look forward to your response.

Thank you,
Jeff Collins

April 25, 2025

From: Jeff Collins
Sent: Friday, April 25, 2025 12:23 PM
To: Elisabeth Slusarczyke
Cc: Victoria Park Tennis Club, MR
Subject: Victoria Park - Request for Pause - Sat Apr 26

Dear Elisabeth,

I am reaching out on behalf of the Victoria Park Tennis Club (VPTC) to bring to your attention some ongoing issues surrounding cricket play at Victoria Park.  As the warm weather approaches, these concerns have resurfaced and escalated this season.

Victoria Park’s dimensions make it unsuitable for cricket play, as the cricket field encroaches on nearby backyards, overlaps with tennis courts, and intersects the baseball diamond.  This raises significant safety concerns for all park users.  To address this matter, we propose the introduction of a permit system for cricket pitch usage, similar to the system currently required for baseball diamonds or other City facilities.

A permit system would help mitigate several pressing issues:

• Safety Concerns: Cricket balls present serious risks to park visitors and nearby residents.
• Activity During Wait Times: Teams waiting for their turn often practice in unsafe locations, such as near the road, parked cars, and the baseball diamond.
• Property Damage: Players frequently practice against the clubhouse, a historic building, causing damage to its cedar shake siding.
• Lack of Public Washroom Access: With multiple teams—sometimes totaling 40+ players—using the park for 12+hr periods on weekends, the lack of washroom facilities (currently closed) has led to unsanitary conditions in other park areas.
• Unprepared Safety Netting: The safety netting installed by the City has not been raised for the season, further increasing the risk of injury.  VPTC has collected nearly 150 cricket balls from within the fence since this net was erected.
• Parking and Traffic Violations: Increased traffic has resulted in parking violations near fire hydrants, fire routes, and restricted zones in front of houses. Speeding through the neighborhood has also been reported to VPTC.
• Non-Resident Usage: Many cricket teams travel from as far away as Mississauga and Hamilton, often unaware of local agreements, by-laws and safety concerns. 

A permit system would also address accountability:

• By-Law Infractions: Current by-laws, such as the restriction on hardball use without a permit, are frequently disregarded.
• Littering: Residents and VPTC members often clean up trash, including cigarette butts, left by cricket players.
• Trespassing: Players are repeatedly observed crossing into fenced backyard properties.
• Responsibility: A permit holder would be identifiable in cases of accidents or property damage, ensuring accountability. 

Additionally, cricket play often dominates the park to the extent that it discourages use by local residents (Cambridge taxpayers), who feel unwelcome or unsafe due to the associated risks and disruptions. These issues begin as early as 7:00 a.m. on weekends, further limiting the park’s accessibility to others.

As an immediate concern, VPTC has its Registration Day scheduled for Saturday, April 26th, from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. We expect members to cross the park from various directions, with many parking along Wentworth Ave. Last year, a cricket ball narrowly missed a senior member standing near the VPTC gates during this event. For safety reasons, we kindly request the City By-Law Department to temporarily pause cricket play on Saturday morning.

We greatly appreciate your attention to these matters and hope for your prompt response.

Thank you,
Jeff Collins
President, Victoria Park Tennis Club