I am writing to express my concern over the lack of action regarding the dedicated pickleball courts at Marshal Field. Because of the many noise complaints, letters in the paper and our constant correspondence with the Greater Vernon Advisory Committee, I feel that we are a thorn in its side. May I suggest that pickleball be perceived more as an opportunity than an imposition?
In my younger days I played a lot of slowpitch. I have fond memories of winning the mixed league championship, sitting under a shade tree in what is now Fulton secondary. With the city’s support, that small weekend tournament has now become the very famous Funtastic and it brings in people from all over the province to spend money in our town.
That is softball, which is a sport played only six months of the year. Pickleball is played all year round and provides an active, healthy lifestyle for people of any age and any ability. It is the fastest growing sport in North America. The age range for pickleball began with older, white-haired athletes looking for the magic they found in competitive sports when they were younger. But if you look at the pickleball national championships and high profile tournaments, the age group is much younger. The age range of the competitors is widening and the numbers are growing. It is a game that attracts athletes that like to compete in tournaments. With the proper facility in Vernon, these tournaments have the potential to bring in tourist dollars all year round. Wouldn’t that be fantastic?
As a club, we paid the city nearly $30,000 in rental fees from May 2016 to April 2017.
This money is going toward renting facilities that are primarily used for other sports and are not ideal for pickleball. Right now, as we play indoors, we have so many players in a session that we often sit off as much as we play. Growth in the sport is being limited in Vernon because we can’t get times to play in the evenings and weekends that work for most working people.
It seems to me that this money could be better used for paying off a loan toward a facility that could house this fast growing sport. With dedicated courts, we would have more courts that would attract more players. Not only that, but it could also have potential for many tourist dollars for Vernon in the future as we can eventually host tournaments year round, not just once a year.
Unlike nearby communities, many with much smaller clubs, Vernon has no dedicated outdoor playing area for pickleball. Penticton, Kelowna (three sites) Armstrong, Salmon Arm, Kamloops (two sites), Christina Lake, Grand Forks and Trail all have outdoor, dedicated courts.
I encourage thinking of our proposition as an amazing opportunity rather than a thorn that keeps irritating you and the people who live around the tennis courts we play on. Thank you for your consideration.
Marg Wadsworth
Vernon