Squash club earns provincial recognition
Squash Ontario achievement award
The Peterborough Squash Club was awarded the Outstanding Achievement to the game of squash in Ontario award at the Squash Ontario general meeting on the weekend.
The club was recognized for the work it has done to keep a squash club running and improving its facility through fundraising, holding the PSB Wilson Classic tournament every year and increasing the number of people playing squash at the junior and adult levels.
Just over five years ago the squash members of the former GoodLife Fitness in the north end of the city were notified the squash portion of the club was closing.
A dedicated group of 50 squash players that did not want to see the game squashed in the city worked out an arrangement with GoodLife and then with the new owner of the building.
Over the five years the club has replaced the 40-year-old parquet floors with a suspension flooring system in two of the courts and a new front panel wall in one court. The members did all the work themselves for the first court floor and wall which included lifting 185-pound panels 15 feet in the air.
“It was not easy or light work but we did it,” said club member Ray Kerslake.
The not-for-profit club is at
1625 Chemong Rd., run by volunteers and is accessible 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
There are active house leagues for all levels of players, competitive leagues, social events, a warmup and cool down workout area, a full service pro shop and lessons.
The club that started with 50 members has grown to more than 100. Since September more than 35 new members have joined.
Advice from a team of marketing students from the applied projects program at Fleming College has helped increase exposure. Some enthusiastic new players to the game has helped spread the word of squash.
“The social part of squash and relaxing atmosphere makes for a wonderful combination as well as a great work out no matter your ability level,” Kerslake said.
“It is with the help and support of all the members and a dedicated and active board of directors that the club has grown. The PSC members should be proud of the accomplishments that this little squash club has done in a short period of time.”