Sep 16
2026
Occurred
1
Acquisition announced
The City announces its purchase of the Westwood Lake Tennis Club property and, at that time, states that the bubble will be removed.
Timeline
A clear chronology of what has happened—and what comes next.
Dates below distinguish events that have occurred from scheduled, expected and future steps.
Sep 17
2026
Occurred
2
Community response begins
A community-organized public petition asks the City to preserve the indoor facility while alternatives are assessed.
Sep 19–25
2026
Occurred
3
Candidate questionnaire conducted
Mayoral and council candidates were invited to answer three questions about the future of year-round indoor tennis in Nanaimo.
Sep 25
2026
Occurred
4
Candidate responses published
Candidate responses were published verbatim alongside question-by-question classifications.
Oct 4
2026
Occurred
5
Community gathering at Oliver Woods
Indoor tennis supporters gathered at Oliver Woods Community Centre in support of retaining year-round indoor tennis.
Oct 7
2026
Occurred
6
CHEK reports on the potential indoor-tennis gap
CHEK News reports on the planned closure, the anticipated replacement timeline and a proposed interim operating approach. This coverage predates Council's retention decision.
Oct 14
2026
Occurred
7
Council votes to retain the tennis bubble
At a Special In Camera Meeting, Council votes to support retaining the bubble at 2367 Arbot Road and directs staff to establish a one-year Licence of Use Agreement with a non-profit operator.
Oct 16
2026
Occurred
8
City formally moves forward with NAITS
In formal correspondence, the City tells NAITS that it wants to work with the Society to develop the draft Licence of Use Agreement and operating model for Council's consideration.
Oct 17
2026
Oct 20
2026
Occurred
10
City publicly announces the retention decision
The City confirms that the bubble will be retained and says the operating agreement must be cost-neutral to the City, with a portion of court time available for public booking.
Nov 1
2026
Scheduled date passed
11
Westwood Tennis Club scheduled closure date
November 1 was the closure date announced by the City. The facility is unavailable during the transition. The published City statement describes the scheduled closure; independent confirmation of the actual closure is not included here.
Nov 3
2026
Announced
12
NAITS Early Bird membership information shared
NAITS offers discounted memberships for January 1–March 31, 2027 while the City operating agreement and membership benefits remain under negotiation. A full refund is promised if a satisfactory agreement cannot be reached by December 31, 2026.
Dec 18
2026
Expected
13
City scheduled to take ownership
The City is scheduled to take ownership of the property. Public access can resume only after an operating agreement is approved and the facility is ready.
Next
Future
14
City–NAITS operating agreement and reopening
City staff and NAITS are developing the operating agreement. January 1, 2027 is an anticipated operational transition date, not a confirmed reopening date. Detailed public-booking arrangements remain unconfirmed.